Pondan?! It’s Maknyah to you! (Part 2)

After being wounded by an angry public over the broadcast of : Pondan Ancaman Wanita, Wanita Hari Ini (TV3) on 4^th October, still hasn’t learn it’s lesson and has now created another episode called ‘Wanita Ancaman Pondan’ that was broadcasted on 24^th October 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8jP9oc6WhU&feature=youtu.be

With the exception of the hosts and Azwan Ali, the other speakers such as Jee, Sapphira Izwah Kazaruddin & Jamilah Hanim Othman are definitely better than the previous episode's poorly selected panel of speakers. However, since TV3 & Wanita Hari Ini again decided not to debate something that is of substance and continue to barely scratch the surface when it comes to covering issues involving Transgender Women, this follow-up ‘debate’ deserves a thumbs up!

Why?

1.    Continuously using the word Pondan (a derogatory term to address Maknyahs / Transgender Women) when describing Maknyahs / Transgender Women

2.    Having Azwan Ali on the show as 1 of the ‘speakers’ pointing out other biologically born women as ‘real / true women’, singling out Jee and spewing plenty of false accusations towards Transgender Women such as : 

-          His insistence in calling the existence of Transgender women as beings from another world

-          Transgender women are men who have failed to be the real, true men they are supposed to be

-          Most Transgender Women he knows have strong emotional feelings, to a ridiculous point where they aimed to be real, true women, having a family, husbands and all that which doesn’t make sense to him

-          Said Transgender Women have acknowledged that they will get nowhere. That  their appearances, however much their likeness are towards women, will always and only remain as Transgender women, but never that of real, true women

-          That women should be thankful as we are provided with our natural born gifts and should fight to keep these existing opportunities to be better than Transgender Women and that women are supposed to be more powerful but yet appear to relinquish their power over to Transgender Women

3.    Allowing hostesses to throws insults around attacking Transgender Women when trying to raise points for discussion

4.    Trying to desperately proof that Transgender Women are evil, envious, greedy, boyfriend stealer, husband snatcher, competitive and conniving against Women

5.    Spreading confusion and hatred even though from the beginning of the show they claimed that they are not trying to shame or discriminate anyone but then turned around and said that they aren’t trying to ‘promote Transgender’s lifestyle choices’. 

6.    Adamantly believed that they are stating the ‘reality of the situation’, defending how some parties felt the threat of the existence of Transgender Women who have monopolized and taken over Women’s professions

7.    Insist that Transgender Women are failures and are incomplete or wholly, perfect, macho males pretending to be women or trying to compete and be the better woman than any women out there

8.    Quoting incomplete / erroneous references on treatments towards or backgrounds of Transgenders from other nation - citing Hijras from Pakistan (not India as what hostess mentioned)

9.    Still portraying women as whiny weaklings who have been robbed of many opportunities and their way of lives due to the existence of Transgender Women

10. Instead of giving compliments where they are due, they hinted at the possibility of women’s lack of existence in the make-up industry to be the driving factor as to why the Transgender women appears more successful there

11. Only aired biased views of women on the street whom I believe do not know or actually understand the issue beyond the media representation / depiction of who Transgender Women might be

Otherwise, I do personally like what all the women speakers are saying : 

1.    Kak Jee

-          Use the word comparison instead of threat

-          Transgender Women dressed up and looked good because they want to be seen as beautiful but not to pose as a threat or as competition towards other women

-          Other professions helmed by Transgender women are not highlighted but only focus towards the beauty /make-up industry

2.    Sapphira Izwah Kazaruddin 

-          There’s no threat whatsoever coming from Transgender Women and she believes entirely on one’s capability when it comes to who should deserve the job at hand

-          When she first started in the make-up industry, she was learning  from Transgender Women & in addition, they have always been the ones whom she refers to when she needs advice related to her profession

-          As a woman, no matter what, we have to realize competition is always out there, whether it comes from Transgender Women or not.

3.    Jamilah Hanim Othman

-          Agreed with Sapphira that she doesn’t feel threatened and that there’s plenty for everyone in the corporate sector or entrepreneurship and that we shouldn’t just focus only on a single profession. 

-          There are plenty of support groups for women in many  areas who continuously work together to help women to evolve and better their chances out there in the job market

-          To accept everyone from diff backgrounds with an open and positive mind and we should empower one another by emphasizing their good points while sharing & advicing one another when there are negative ones

So TV3 & Wanita Hari Ini, if you lack proper questions to ask or researchers to present proper, reality based situations and scientifically proven facts, I am sure you can engage Maknyahs and they will talk to you for free, helping you to better prepare for a great segment next time?

Hopefully the viewer’s stomach will not churn if you decided to do a ‘Pondan Ancaman Masyarakat’ (Transgender Women a threat to society) segment in the future.

God forbid!