Trang Kim Sa: How is the famous transgender actress in the six provinces of Southern Vietnam doing in her twilight years?

For 40 years on stage, Trang Kim Sa was a famous "lottery queen" throughout the six provinces of Southern Vietnam. Yet, at the end of her life, she had nothing left: no house, no money, no career.

Few people know that 40 years ago, at the most beautiful age of his life, Mr. Sang was a famous actress throughout the six provinces of Southern Vietnam with the stage name Trang Kim Sa - the oldest transgender artist in Vietnam.

"When I was 14 years old, I suddenly lost my family. I was a good student and had to drop out of school and work many jobs to make a living. When I was 20, because I failed to get into high school, I was forced to join the army..."

During his time in the army, there was a young man named Tu who was about the same age as Mr. Sang. Because of his hard-working nature and circumstances, after 1975, the two moved in together and lived under the same roof.

"No one knew what the concept of gay was, they just loved each other like soul mates. However, after a while, Tu's family evacuated abroad. His younger sister wanted to marry me so they could go together, but I couldn't do that, so I had to retreat and ask to stay with Mrs. Ngan because she was the only friend left," said Mr. Sang.

On the personal page of artist Phuong Dung, the Ngu Long Du Ky group recently visited and helped Trang Kim Sa - one of the first transgender actresses of the stage, who was known as the "queen" of lottery, famous throughout the six provinces of Nam Ky. However, in her old age, she has nothing left: no career, no house, no money and has to make a living by selling lottery tickets.

"Uncle Trang Kim Sa is still diligently sitting in a wheelchair (a wheelchair given to him by the Ngu Long Du Ky group) to sell lottery tickets. He said he now has to work harder to sell further to earn 200,000 VND a day," said Phuong Dung.

It is known that both are currently living in a rented house of about 4 square meters in Ho Chi Minh City. The living space of Trang Kim Sa and her partner, Ms. Kim Ngan, is quite simple and small.

Trang Kim Sa, whose real name is Ngo Van Sang, is the first transgender artist in the Vietnamese entertainment industry. In the past, Trang Kim Sa was a star of the lottery stage. Any troupe that she performed in would attract a lot of viewers, even selling out tickets. However, during one performance, Trang Kim Sa suffered a stroke and was paralyzed in one arm and leg, limping and having difficulty moving.

After a serious illness, the artist had to give up her career and passion. Although she missed her job, Trang Kim Sa refused to appear on stage again. "I don't want people to look at me with pity, so I won't perform anymore. I want to win over the audience with my talent. I have to be neat on stage," the artist confided.

Currently, Trang Kim Sa's life is lottery tickets while Ms. Kim Ngan takes advantage of the opportunity to help with housework to earn money to cover expenses. "I work as a maid, earning 60,000 VND in the morning. He sells lottery tickets and gives me 20-30,000 VND each day. I save that money to buy things to cook and cover expenses. He goes to work every day, without a day off, rain or shine," Ms. Ngan said.

Not only visiting artist Trang Kim Sa, the Ngu Long Du Ky group also sent some gifts, and promised that on Tet 2025, the group will use Youtube money as Tet gifts to send to artists, especially those in nursing homes.

At the age of "thất thập cổ lai hy", Kim Sa is still beautiful with white skin, high nose bridge and heart-shaped lips. People only realize that she is a "man" when she speaks in a deep voice, telling the story of her life that has been buried for years.

"Being myself, living with the fate that my ancestors gave me, suddenly having to give up, how could I not regret it, not be sad... Before closing my eyes, I just wish to put on makeup and lipstick, return to the stage, stand and shout "what's the flag?" and that would be enough," Kim Sa once shared.

On the night of November 28, 2018, Trang Kim Sa's dream came true. She became the main character in the show "Reunion Night" of the Huong Nam lottery troupe (HCMC). Trang Kim Sa relived the feeling that she had once "made waves" on lottery stages from the South to the North.

"At around 3 pm, Su Su (head of the Huong Nam lottery troupe) and 2 other members of the troupe came to my house to pick me up and take me to the performance venue. Before that, many colleagues from the next generation also came to visit and encourage me many times. I am happy that the younger generations still cherish the profession and the people who do it," Trang Kim Sa was moved.

Kim Sa had her makeup and hair done by her "juniors" before going on stage. The "reunion night" did not have any other artists of her generation. She said that most of them had disappeared or could not be contacted. At exactly 7 p.m., the performance began. Ms. Sa sat down to talk about the ups and downs of her life as a "caterpillar with a butterfly soul" and about her singing career with the troupe leader Su Su and artist BB Phung.

The show featured enthusiastic singers from the Huong Nam lotto troupe such as Tam Thao, Pham Phuong, Boi Nhi, Quang Thinh, etc. On the small stage, the melodies and singing of many generations of transgender singers resonated. They walked gracefully under the colored lights to the applause of the audience. Few people understood how many feelings they carried within them of a "shadowy" life.

Back in the 80s, Trang Kim Sa shared, "gay" people like her began to tell each other about the gender transitions of homosexuals living abroad. But the journey of change at that time was much more difficult: "Who among us did not desire to have a girl's body? So when our friends sent silicone from abroad, we sisters "did" it ourselves. We didn't learn anything, we just took the risk. We just bought needles and injected them into our breasts, buttocks, lips, and cheeks. Either we could live properly, or we could die."

She also choked up and confided: "And then died, many died. Probably... 20 sisters, some went first, some went later. Some died from drug shock, some died from exhaustion, and some died from "greed for more". I also felt tired, sometimes had difficulty breathing, then went to the doctor and found that silicon had spread throughout my body. Luckily, God has not sent me to the King of Hell, so I can still contribute to my career."

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