BB Gandanghari opens up about losing friends after gender transition
BB Gandanghari, formerly known as Rustom Padilla, recalled a difficult time in her life when she came into conflict with some of her friends after her gender transition.
In her guest appearance on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, Gandanghari discussed the difficulties she experienced in the 16 years she spent as a transgender woman, especially when it came to her friendships.
"Contrary sa mga akala ng iba na everything was on a bed of roses, no it wasn't. It was very difficult," she stressed.
When asked about whether she had lost friends during the process, she said, "Maraming nawala. Marami kasing nagtampo dahil part of my transition was actually to isolate myself, so maraming hindi nakaintindi doon sa isolation ko."
The local star shared that these people still can't understand her to this day. But despite this, she harbors no ill feelings towards them.
"I understand kasi hindi naman nila alam 'yung pinagdadaanan ko, 'yung parang akala lang ng marami is, 'She just disappeared.' But on the contrary, it’s really part of the transition," she explained.
According to her, singer and entertainer Pops Fernandez was one of the few people who stayed with her and supported her ever since.
"Si Pops is there. Mayroon kaming tampuhan, but she understood all the way. Marami rin kasi kaming pinagdaanan," Gandanghari said.
When it came to her family, Gandanghari said her relationship with her brother, Robin Padilla, has now improved over the years after he initially expressed his disapproval of her transition.
"Si Robin at si Rustom ay brothers, so they treat each other as brothers, and ang pinakamalaking pagkakaiba, tinatrato ni Robin si Rustom as kuya. Ngayon, ang relasyon ko kay Robin is brother and sister," she shared.
"Ramdam na ramdam ko 'yan kapag kasama ko 'yan. Kapag nasa pila kami, ladies first. Nagpunta kami sa mosque sa Taiwan, naka-hijab ako, pumasok ako doon bilang babae and nire-recognize niya lahat 'yon. He's treating me as a sister now more than a brother," she continued.
Gandanghari added that she has a good relationship with Padilla's wife, Mariel Rodriguez, whom she says was the "best thing that has ever happened" to him. This is the same for her niece Kylie Padilla and nephew Daniel Padilla.
Gandanghari entered the showbiz industry as Rustom Padilla and rose to prominence as an action star. She eventually came out as gay during her stint in the 2006 season of Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition before undergoing gender confirmation surgery three years later in 2009.
When she moved to the US, Gandanghari had her name and gender legally changed by a Los Angeles court.
