Phuthip Wattanakeesuntarn/Time Out Bangkok

Kulchaya “Candy” Tansiri: “We are just like everybody else.”

Transgender model and the world’s first transgender winner in The Face franchise

Monday June 24 2019

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Of all the international versions of the popular modeling-themed reality show, The Face Thailand may be the most progressive, making history by featuring transgender contestants and even crowning one of them, Kulchaya “Candy” Tansiri, as the winner.

A former beauty queen, who also held the title of Miss Trans Star International 2018, applied for The Face Thailand hoping that the show would help her book modeling jobs.

"We are just like everybody else."

Like other transgender models, Candy experienced difficulty penciling in projects in Thailand’s rather conservative modeling scene because of her gender. “I was a freelance model before The Face and was always rejected by clients. Some even told me not to come to castings because of the “Mr” in front of my name. Most successful [Thai] transgender models have had to work in other countries where people are more concerned about your performance,” Candy relates. “But I never got mad at those people who rejected me. I knew it was because my sexuality might affect their brand image. They just weren’t ready for change.”

But Candy sees how modern Thai society is starting to embrace gender diversity more, as exemplified by her unprecedented win in the reality show. “I believe my winning can help improve the image of transgender [models], but this will take place gradually. It’s really difficult to change one’s perspective and mindset.”

Candy sees the media as an important tool in influencing the public’s perspective on gender issues. TV shows and pop cultural representations usually stereotype transgenders as the “funny” or “touchy” character, a view that is quite limiting and, oftentimes, unfair. “The media should portray the diversity of transgenders, be it their personality and their occupation,” she emphasizes. “We are just like everybody else.”

Being the first transgender winner of The Face Thailand has turned Candy into an inspiration for the LGBTQ community, but the aspiring model sees herself in a bigger picture, one that transgresses her gender. “I don’t want to represent the LGBTQ society just because I am a transgender. I want to represent a person who works hard. I want people to judge others on their performance, and not trap them in a gender box.”