A young Cambodian finds release from LGBTI discrimination when he performs at a local gay club. (Photo: Kris Janssens)
Preab ‘Henry’ Thearith, from Cambodia, knew he was not like other boys since he was young.
People have made fun of him for being ‘girly’ since high school.
But, in a gay bar in Cambodia’s capital Phonm Penh, Henry transforms into ‘Rebecca.’
Southeast Asia-based journalist Kris Janssens depicted Henry’s transformation into a drag queen and performance of ‘This is Me’ in a short moving video.
‘I like dressing up like a woman, I feel like I’m a star, it makes me find more reasons to live,’ he said.
Many LGBTI Cambodians face discrimination and there is no legal protection for discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity.
But, Cambodia’s royal family has shown support for LGBTI, leading to a developing gay scene.
‘My father is homophobic,’ says Henry. ‘If he finds out I am doing this kind of thing he would hit me so hard.”
‘I have a big heart for coming out stories and for gay people who found a way to overcome the bullying they experienced,’ Janssens told Gay Star News.
Watch the video below:
