Actress Chai Fonacier reacted strongly to an article creating intrigue about a transwoman.
It all started when transgender Iyah Mina won in the Best Actress category of the 2018 Cinema One Originals film festival.
The lead star of Mamu; and A Mother Too is the first transgender woman to win a Best Actress award in the Philippines.
Through her Twitter account @rrrabidcat, Chai wrote "F*ck you" when she shared a tabloid article that reported the winners of the 14th edition of Cinema One.
The article had the title: "Dating beki tinalong Best Actress sina Rufa Mae, Meryl, CHAI, Loisa, Eula."
The first paragraph reads:
"Nababalot ng kontrobersya ang Best actress category dahil isang baguhang transwoman ang tumalo kina Rufa Mae Quinto, Meryl Soriano, Chai Fonacier, Loisa Andalio at Eula Valdes sa Cinema One Originals Festival 2018. Ito’y si Iyah Mina para sa pelikulang Mamu; and A Mother Too."
Chai, who is part of the 2018 Cinema One Originals entry Asuang, pointed out that the article is click bait, which means it manipulates in a way that appeals to reader's emotions and curiosity.
In her Twitter post, Chai wrote:
"Why should it be a "controversy" if a transwoman won the Best Actress award? Why must it be a click bait? 'Nababalot ng kontrobersiya,' says the lede in.
"Fuck it, it's 2018. Get with the program. She's a she. She won fair and square. Fuck you."
Chai continued posting her thoughts about the article, which she labeled as "counter-productive" to the LGBTQ+ community.
She wrote: "Sinong sumulat nito? Kung miyembro ka man ng LGBTQ+ community, if ever, ha, wala kang inambag sa pagsulat mo ng lede in na ito. Counterproductive ka sa laban.
"Dapat, we should celebrate that a transwoman won a Best Actress Award. Pero in a positive light. Napaka walang hiya naman yung headline na "Dating Beki," plus yung lede in na may controversy daw. Napaka Nega and counterproductive sa laban ng LGBTQ+.
"Ito talaga yung di ko maintindihan sa tabloid press: kay dami dami ninyong member ng LGBTQ + Community, pero halos wala kayong inaambag. Di ko maintindihan kung ba't kayo counterproductive. Where the hell do you really stand?
"Hoy, 2018 na. May google na, kung di nyo pa alam yan. May communities na that you can ask. Wala pa rin kayong progress? Intriga pa rin ang motivation ninyo? What, to sell papers? Diyos ko lang ha."
In 2016, Chai was named Best Supporting Actress by the Film Academy of the Philippines for the dramedy film Patay na si Hesus.
She recently starred in the 2018 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino entry Pinay Beauty.
