Alvaro Laiz

Visual artist

www.alvarolaiz.com

TRANSMONGOLIAN (old)

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Gays, lesbians and transsexuals...o achive in theirs own country.

Gays, lesbians and transsexuals are socially suppressed, rejected and underprivileged people in modern Mongolia. Forced to look for help between those of the same condition, some of them become male prostitutes o prostitutes, others get a life of loneliness and concealment. The youngests fight to go out out from Mongolia, to countries as The Philippines or Japan, where theirs condition are much more easier and in even they might compete for a change of sex. And the most important, a social recognition imposible to achive in theirs own country.

Human Rights Watch and Internat...ed by their sexual orientation.

Human Rights Watch and International Amnesty have warned about LGBT situation in Mongolia "despite homosexual behaviour is not specifically considered as a crime under mongolian law, considers ilegal giving or receiving sexual pleasure through inmoral practices". Also International Amnesty have documented reports of public assaults and laboral harrassment caused by their sexual orientation.

"Since I was very youn...r, Mongolia on his rented room.

"Since I was very young I knew I wanted to dress like a girl. I felt I was a girl, but I was told I had to behave like a boy... and by that time I couldn´t understand why" Nyamka, 20 years old who lives in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia on his rented room.

Despite its vastness, more than... due to the extreme conditions.

Despite its vastness, more than 30 % of Mongolia,s population gather together in its capital Ulaanbataar. Even nomads have to seek shelter for their cattle during winter due to the extreme conditions.

"When I was young I us...t clubs as streaptease teacher.

"When I was young I used to sell my body, but now... it?s not possible anymore. I?m too old " Gambush, who was the first transgender in Mongolia who admitted her condition, found a way of living in UB night clubs as streaptease teacher.

Naaram, close friend of Gambush... deal with an uncertain future.

Naaram, close friend of Gambush spent most of his younghood in Russia where he became alcoholic . Now, back in Mongolia with no work and almost no family but his sister and his adoptive son, he has to deal with an uncertain future.

The younger wrestle to flee the...a, 20 years old. Social worker.

The younger wrestle to flee the Mongolian borders, to countries such as the Philippines or Japan, where their 'condition' is much more tolerable and dreams of a sex change are attainable. Nyamka, 20 years old. Social worker.

Otgoonbataar, one of the more f... live in fear anymore"

Otgoonbataar, one of the more famous and respected homosexual rights activist in Mongolia, founder of the first LGBT ngo in Mongolia. "Noone can blame me for living my life; if they want to kill me for that, I?m ready, but I won?t live in fear anymore"

Naaram, dressed with a traditional mongolian queen dress

Chinzorig, 23 years old, on a traditional mongolian queen costume

Gambush, with her personal make...le where she works every night.

Gambush, with her personal makeup artist, in a prostibule where she works every night.

Gambush, 67 years old dressed w...itional mongolian queen costume

Gambush, 67 years old dressed with a traditional mongolian queen costume

Naaram with his adoptive son. &... his adoptive fathers"

Naaram with his adoptive son. "I took care of him since he was a baby, but, as it is not possible for gay people to adopt so my sister and his husband are, legally, his adoptive fathers"

Nurbul dressed as a mongolian queen

The weight of tradition and the...essed, rejected, and victimized

The weight of tradition and the years under Soviet control, a time in which homosexuals were sent to gulag, surmise a ballast for gays, lesbians, and transsexuals, who continue to be repressed, rejected, and victimized

Margaash on a traditional queen costume

Nyamka, removes his make up and...rrassment or phisical violence.

Nyamka, removes his make up and change his fem clothes on a taxi after her show on an underground party as her alter ego "Vanity". Men who dress like girls in public may suffer harrassment or phisical violence.

More than eight hundred years l...osexual, continues to be taboo.

More than eight hundred years later of Genghis Khan homosexuality ban, Mongolia is a sovereign country with the lowest population rate in the world, lower than two inhabitants per square kilometer and being a homosexual, continues to be taboo.

Baara, 55 years old, lives in o... ngo where he gets small money.

Baara, 55 years old, lives in one of the poorest and conflictive districts in Ulaanbataar due to his lack of money. "Ulaanbataar is very small. I?ts very difficult for me to get a job because everyone knows me " Nowadays he?s working for an ngo where he gets small money.

Gambush,watch carefully her pup...at a prostibule in Ulaanbataar.

Gambush,watch carefully her pupil moves at a prostibule in Ulaanbataar.

Detail of Gambush´s bedside table.

Gambush, 67 years old. Ex-prost...cing teacher in UB night clubs.

Gambush, 67 years old. Ex-prostitute and laptop-dancing teacher in UB night clubs.

The Secret History of the Mongo...d prohibition of homosexuality.

The Secret History of the Mongols recounts how Genghis Khan´s rise up to power and how once in charge, declared homosexuality illegal under death penalty in order to augment his population and face his enemies, The 48th article of mongol Code Law is considered to be the first documented prohibition of homosexuality.

Nyamka on a traditional mongolian queen costume

The Secret History of the Mongols, considered to be the oldest Mongolian language literary work, is the single significant native account of Mongolia's rise to power around the 12th century AD. Blended with fictional and historical accounts, the epic poetry and narrative, recounts how the Genghis Khan was able to organize more than thirty tribes battling for control, and how once in power, with the objective to augment his population and face his enemies, declared homosexuality illegal under death penalty.

Today, more than eight hundred years later, Mongolia is a sovereign country with the lowest population rate in the world, lower than two inhabitants per square kilometer and being a homosexual, continues to be taboo. The weight of tradition and the years under Soviet control, a time in which homosexuals were sent to gulag, surmise a ballast for gays, lesbians, and transsexuals, who continue to be repressed, rejected, and victimized. Condemned to a life of secrecy, many of them find themselves turning to prostitution, others lead a life of solitude.

The younger wrestle to flee the Mongolian borders, to countries such as the Philippines or Japan, where their 'condition' is much more tolerable and dreams of a sex change are attainable, but above all, to an identity which in their native land, has been denied way too long.

Transmongolian, The Secret History of the Mongols from Alvaro Laiz on Vimeo.

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Thumbnail of Gays, lesbians and transsexuals _to achive in theirs own country.

Thumbnail of Human Rights Watch and Internati_sed by their sexual orientation.

Thumbnail of "Since I was very young_ar, Mongolia on his rented room.

Thumbnail of Despite its vastness, more than _r due to the extreme conditions.

Thumbnail of "When I was young I use_ht clubs as streaptease teacher.

Thumbnail of Naaram, close friend of Gambush _o deal with an uncertain future.

Thumbnail of The younger wrestle to flee the _ka, 20 years old. Social worker.

Thumbnail of Otgoonbataar, one of the more fa_t live in fear anymore"

Thumbnail of Naaram, dressed with a traditional mongolian queen dress

Thumbnail of Chinzorig, 23 years old, on a traditional mongolian queen costume

Thumbnail of Gambush, with her personal makeu_ule where she works every night.

Thumbnail of Gambush, 67 years old dressed wi_ditional mongolian queen costume

Thumbnail of Naaram with his adoptive son. &a_, his adoptive fathers"

Thumbnail of Nurbul dressed as a mongolian queen

Thumbnail of The weight of tradition and the _ressed, rejected, and victimized

Thumbnail of Margaash on a traditional queen costume

Thumbnail of Nyamka, removes his make up and _arrassment or phisical violence.

Thumbnail of More than eight hundred years la_mosexual, continues to be taboo.

Thumbnail of Baara, 55 years old, lives in on_n ngo where he gets small money.

Thumbnail of Gambush,watch carefully her pupi_ at a prostibule in Ulaanbataar.

Thumbnail of Detail of Gambush´s bedside table.

Thumbnail of Gambush, 67 years old. Ex-prosti_ncing teacher in UB night clubs.

Thumbnail of The Secret History of the Mongol_ed prohibition of homosexuality.

Thumbnail of Nyamka on a traditional mongolian queen costume

Public Project

TRANSMONGOLIAN (old)

Copyright Alvaro Laiz 2024

Updated Nov 2011

Location Mongolia

Topics Abuse, chamanism, Civil Rights, Documentary, Gay, Gay Rights, Genghis Khan, HIV/AIDS, Hope, Human Rights, Mongolia, Nomads, Photography, Photojournalism, Prostitution, Sexuality, Transgender, Ulaanbataar