Release Year: 2014
Country: USA, Philippines
Synopsis:
Janice Villarosa’s Shunned (2014) is a poignant and revealing documentary that captures the often-overlooked lives of trans women in the Philippines. It chronicles the struggles, dreams, and resilience of a group of transsexual women, including the personalities of Erika Fox, Fiona Solis, and Angel Montero, who, despite facing severe social stigma and discrimination, persist in their pursuit of their identities. Through a beauty contest and a series of candid interviews, Shunned exposes not only the external societal rejection but also the personal and internal battles that these women face as they strive to be recognized as the women they know themselves to be.
The documentary’s strength lies in its unapologetic depiction of its subjects, showcasing their courage and determination to break free from the oppressive societal norms that seek to define them. At the heart of Shunned is the beauty contest — an event that is not just a competition for glamour and fame, but a powerful symbol of their struggle for acceptance and validation. The film intricately explores the tension between the public spectacle of a beauty pageant and the deeply personal experiences of the contestants, showing that the desire to "become the perfect woman" is not about vanity, but rather about gaining respect and recognition in a world that constantly seeks to "shun" them.
