Queen Diva Michelle San Miguel, 33,working now for six years at Mikko's Bar located in Puerto Galera, Philippines. Here in the bar she leads a group of young women who entertain many tourists every evening with songs by Tina Turner, Jennifer Hudson and Madonna. The girls, however, differ from those they represent on the stage: a Y chromosome. Everyone who works in this bar was born as a boy.

For Joanne, 28, the girls group is like a family. She got a friend from Germany, with whom she is now almost two years together. He spent two months on the island, then he had to go back. "With him I can feel like a woman," she says, and hopes that she can follow him eventually to Germany, where the two could live in a registered partnership.

The women tell that many tourists are going to crush for them and just do not realize that they are ladyboys. Sometimes it happens that a girl really like a man, but at the same time knowing that he would not accept her as a ladyboy. Then they disfigure their voices in order not to be recognized . Of course, the men sooner or later will find out: Some of them are able to deal with that, others not.

All ladyboys share their accommodation and have a solid routine: wake up in the early afternoon, rehearsing a few hours, and finally operate the show at Mikko's in the evening.

Mikko's Bar: Set against the backdrop of the turquoise blue sea, the girls have their appearance here every day. They work seven days a week, nine months a year. During the high season they make good, at other times it is more difficult. Nevertheless, most of them send money to their families, they rarely see.

Michelle San Miguel during one of her performances. Although the voice is coming from the playback, she captures the attention of the audience from the very first second.

If you ask the girls after their leader they answer in chorus: "Michelle, Michelle!" Even in school she loved the theater classes, later they helped to make Mikko's Bar as a magnet to the audience today.

To be self-employed and to travel with the talents of White Beach through the world is Michelle's dream for the future. Until that happens, she and her girls keep faith to Mikko's Bar - and their audience will continue to beg daily additions.



This article was published by www.tonic-magazin.de in June, 2011
Translated with the help of google-translate by Sbnnboi