Raquela Rios is a Filipino ladyboy. She is the leading lady of our film "The Amazing Truth about Queen Raquela" by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson. The film will be released in 2007. Here is an interview taking with Raquela after the filming had come to an end.

/// How did it come about that you were selected for the film?

"I got in touch with the director of the film from iceland throught the internet - he had been talking to many ladyboys - looking for someone who would suit for his film - but i was not interested cause i was thinking he is talking bullshit cause of course I've been here in this internet business meeting guys in the net chat on them and i can compare and i can see which one is talking the truth and which is just bullshitting anyways we got in touch then and he really strongly agree that i would be on the project he will be working with but i never dream of becoming a star never dream of becoming an actress and neither do i want to be in the show-biz......and so then we meet in person he tries to interview me and i realize it was fun we share a lot of ideas on the film and he also contact some girls but none of them has the character that i possess."

/// What kind of experience was it to being filmed for such a long time?

"Well its great everything felt so natural and easy."

/// How is it to be a ladyboy? Can you explain for those who don't know the term?

"Tough, challenging and totally a survivor in this cruel world we live in ........incase you dont know what is ladyboy......ladyboy is a transgender a male to female transgender whether its a transvestite a pre-opt transsexual or a post opt transsexual ......ladyboy is commonly termed to us asians transgedner according to the sex tourist who visit asia cause its not commonly used in the western part where they call them "shemales"."

/// Do many ladyboys enter prostitution and why?

"Yes its true from thailand here in the philippines or anywhere in asia even in the western world ladyboys does enter into prostitution aside from its fun its a load of money western tourist is our favorite costumer they give good pleasure and give good money honestly we love the joy of prostitution due to the male libido that we have to enjoy having body pleasure sex at the same time we earn money.....and another reason is that we try to live decently as we can but the norms of the society sees us as a freak which we cant be hired some jobs we cant even go to school be as we are dress and live full-time as a woman and end up in a very low profile job that even labels us as the worst make us the girls who live in the underworld its hard world we got there thats why in this prostitution job we seek love in our costumers."

/// When did you realize that you were a ladyboy?

"Ever since when i was young but i have a strict parents and they dont like coming out loud until when i got to college that i was able to come out loud and my parents cant do anything about it well honestly i just started to dress and live full-time as a woman since i was 17 and it does fulfill me being all out give me a lot of freedom at least i can see myself as a woman the same as i am feeling before."

/// Do you feel ladyboys have limited future possibilities in the Philippines?

"Yes cause honestly we cant get a job and sometimes even if we get a guy to marry is it would be so hard to maintain a good relationship or marriage life cause most guys are just pigs they just want us to fulfill their sexual fantasy ...........thats why i want to venture outside the country to a greener pasture to much more open minded society more liberal cause if i stay longer here in the philippines it doesn't give me any future the society here is crap and very close-minded we are tolerated to go around dress like i do but we cant be accepted in the church in the school and in the job."

/// How is it to be a ladyboy in the Philippines, tell us about your life?

"Well its not really fun although i have my friends and we enjoy together we get along with each other with some fellow ladyboys we blend in the gay society that sometimes people in the philippines label us as gays were in fact homosexuality is different from transsexuality and filipino people has got to know that.....we as a ladyboy myself in the philippines sometimes i get conscious walking around when we see some male species and hmmm anyone cause they will stare at us and mock on us make us as a laughing stuff........its not an easy life we got here but well we just go with the flow we strive hard to be accepted and be different as we are prove ourselves that we are brave, the only one."

/// What about your ladyboy friends?

"Most of my friends are college students and some of them have degree but just earn income in cabaret show...going to japan to work as an entertainer or earning income in joining beauty pageants........some of them are freelance make up artist and hairstylist..some of them are hustling in the streets some of them got married to japanese guys and get rich or some of them travel abroad in open asian countries to work as an escort earn loads of money some of them got lucky found a man and earn green-card which is the thing i want in the future."

/// Are many ladyboys in the Philippines into "escort" service for tourists?

"Yes if you check the google search you will different filipina escort who travels to some asian countries to work as an escort.....yes most of them honestly i thought i want to give a filipina ladyboys a good image but due to this poverty most ladyboys experience they cant have any choice but to work as an escort."

/// how do you get it touch with them?

"Usually we found the Westerners and expats via dating site and chat-rooms and some of the ladyboys have websites as what i told before we get in touch with them by chatting or sending email well internet makes the world so small."

/// Do you feel angry at the world of not fully accepting gays?

"Kinda cause well people got to understand we are humans and we have to respect each others choice then same as we respect them and not harming them we didn't do anything in this world although like I've said before homosexuality is different from transsexuality but people label as gays in general but its ok as long as some people can really see the difference ... "

/// Do you spend a lot of time on the internet?

"Yes i do all the time looking for the right guy for me someone who is sincere and honest no cheap cam to cam sex thrill looking for serious relationship serious stuff no time wasting someone who has the time and the money to travel here in the philippines i want someone who has the effort someone who is willing to invest its so pity guys dont seem to know how to reach such sincere and honest girls like me who comes from a good family comes along."

/// What are your hopes / ambition for the future?

"I do have big hopes in life and hopefully the film will open new doors for me - I never had ambition but all i want to think is how to be a girl with empowerment and give so much influence....all i think as for now is how to get established in life and be able to help my family - I want to be different and i dont want to be seen as a typical transsexual girl."

By James Cornsmith for Poppoli Pictures