AsiaLIFE

The increased number of gay-friendly establishments in the capital gives drag divas a chance to strut their stuff and change perceptions. Words by Nora Lindstrom.

The gay scene in Cambodia is growing, and fast. Where it hardly existed a few years ago, Phnom Penh has recently seen an increase in gay bars, as well as further popularisation of gay culture. Parallel to this, drag shows have become more common, to the extent that you can now get a dose of drag every night at a variety of venues in the capital.

Sparkling Blue

“I have a soul for drag,” declares Oak, owner of Street 178 gay bar Blue Chilli, where he also performs. “Three years ago when I first came to Cambodia there wasn’t much in terms of gay life here, so I thought, ‘Why don’t I do something for the gay community?’” the Thai national explains. Thus he opened Blue Chilli, the cool and classy mainstay of the gay community in Phnom Penh. The drag shows didn’t start until early 2008, however, in an attempt to offer something different and attract more customers to the bar at weekends. “We now do drag shows on Friday and Saturday nights, and each week we have a new show. That’s why customers keep coming back, because the show is always different,” he says.

Performing in drag was not something Oak had done before, in fact it was a far cry from his former office job in Thailand. “The first time I performed in drag I was very shy  but I believed I could do it. Now, our show is very popular,” he says, adding that all the fancy costumes and dresses are made expressly for the shows. Along with Oak, bartender Dee Dee is one of the regular performers at the bar. “One night when I was working I ended up dancing on the bar,” he says. “I took some of my clothes off and the crowd loved it – that made me very happy, and I thought I might do it again.”

A friend then suggested Dee Dee should wear some make-up when performing. Although he was initially hesitant, he slowly started dressing up more and more. “At that time there were no drag shows in Phnom Penh, it all started here at Blue Chilli,” Oak says. “Now I really enjoy performing, I want to make our customers happy.” According to Oak, the shows at Blue Chilli attract a mixed audience of gays, straights, men, women, locals and foreigners. The atmosphere is generally festive. “I think people outside our [gay] community think our performances are strange and funny, but I don’t think they see them as ‘bad’, we don’t get hassled,” says Dee Dee. Both he and Oak believe it is now easier to be openly gay in Cambodia. “At first my family was doubtful, but now they are okay. It’s better to be gay and good, than straight and bad,” Dee Dee smiles.

Breaking New Ground

Well before drag shows were established at Blue Chilli, however, Cindy was blazing the trail for the art in Cambodia. “I’ve been performing for a long time,” the former dance student says. “The first show I did was at Casa Club by Wat Phnom – maybe ten years ago.” Since then, Cindy has challenged traditional perceptions of the gay community in various ways and become something of a poster boy for the community in Cambodia. He even appeared on a local TV show about sexual identity. “Before people used to think ladyboys were not good,” he explains. “But over the years many people have seen us and realised we’re not crazy, we’re normal people.” Despite his modest demeanour, Cindy is a natural performer. “I started by doing theatre when I was young, then I got into make-up, costumes and hair. Initially, I was inspired by the Spice Girls,” he says.

Cindy’s sister Cheata also performs. Unlike her brother, she has completed the gender transformation. “I’m 100 percent woman, so performing comes naturally,” she says whilst showing off some of her latest moves. The siblings used to perform regularly at their own bar Madame Cindy’s, but since its closure last month they are back to doing mainly private shows. “There is a lot of demand, from hotels and embassies, so I do around two to four shows per month, but I’m also training others,” Cindy says.

Going Mainstream

Pontoon Lounge, on the river, is one of the more mainstream establishments hosting regular gay nights featuring cabaret-style drag shows. Every Thursday, the bar transforms into the Gloryhole, where Jojo, Gege and Rosa entertain punters by dancing and miming to songs decked in wigs, sequins and high heels. Jojo, who dresses as a woman in her daily life too, has been performing in drag for around a year. “I’m usually a bit nervous at the start of the performance, but then I warm up and begin to enjoy it,” she explains backstage whilst getting ready for the show. “I don’t care what other people think, I like myself like this. Performing is a kind of art for me, but it comes straight from the heart.”

Gege is similarly unconcerned about people’s perceptions of her. “I like performing,” she says. “I’ve wanted to dress this way since I was small, in fact, when I was younger I used to try on my mum’s clothes.” Both Gege and Jojo have had surgical help in achieving their feminine looks, and are keen to show them off. In addition to performing at Pontoon, the good friends do nightly shows at local club Classic, on Street 19. The Gloryhole performances however allow them to flaunt their dance moves to a wider audience, as the Classic shows are more geared to a Khmer crowd. “I like to dance sexy on stage,” says Jojo, while Gege admits to being more into dancing to romantic songs.

Rosa, who the others affectionately call “the big jar,” is another veteran among drag queens. “I like everything about performing in drag. Singing, dancing to music, wearing wigs and girly dresses, feeling sexy on stage,” she says. “For me, it’s a way to express myself.”  Although she only gets her dresses out for performances, Rosa identifies herself as a woman. Like Oak, she thinks that there is less discrimination than before. “We also have a strong community. We’re like brothers and sisters,” she adds. Cheata and Cindy echo the sentiment. “It’s a good time for us just now,” they say. “Through our shows, Cambodians are increasingly interested in and aware of our community and see us as regular people.” The drag divas are driving the rainbow revolution in Cambodia it seems.