Visible Silence

Filmmaker Ruth Gumnit's documentary offers insight into Thailand's lesbian community. According to Visible Silence, lesbians in Thailand can be divided into two categories: “toms” (short for tomboys) who wear boyish haircuts and prefer masculine clothing, and “dees” (the origin of the nickname is unclear), who play up their feminine persona while enjoying the romantic company of the tough-looking toms. Thailand's traditionally conservative Buddhist society is nowhere near as tolerant as Western countries in regard to LGBT rights, and the women interviewed experience some degree of struggle in trying to be open about their sexual orientation. But much of the stress involves mothers who are either concerned for their daughters' safety or are impatient they are not yet married with children. Gumnit follows a number of women through daily activities without any incident, but these sequences feel more like a travelogue featuring average women going about quotidian activities without attracting attention, let alone generating derision. An uneven but often interesting portrait of lesbian life in Thailand, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)