Worshiping Riven Ratanavanh
Kinky Bangkok-born artist Riven Ratanavanh put their body – and their sub – at the center of a performance at our Bangkok celebration last Thursday. As BUTTendees sipped on queer cocktails, Riven put the party gimp in the corner and passed out ABC crackers. The task – spell whatever you wanted the sub to eat on the table of magazines. In a country where tourists expect Thais to serve them, Riven wants to flip the script. Before the panel and film program, the sub crawled across the table eating up words to applause, including – a favorite – “OK TO EAT C*NT”.
Before the performance, we asked Riven a few key questions, including about their recent performance inspired by the Thai devotional ritual of gilding Buddha statues. In it, Riven let the audience place gold leaf all over their lubed-up body, piece by piece.
In a country renowned for its Kathoey culture, how would you describe the experience of being transmasc?
It’s strange and contradictory sometimes. I didn’t know I was a trans man until after I’d moved to the US, because I didn’t know that transmasculinity existed at all. Prior to that, I thought that being a trans guy was a literal impossibility, because I only saw trans women here. In the US, I’m a trans man and on top of that an Asian trans man. Here, by way of being read as cis in most contexts, I get to exist as just a man… in some ways.
How would you describe Bangkok in as few words as possible?
A city of contrasts. There’s reverence and sleaze. Transcendence and tourism. Often side by side, sometimes one disguised as the other.
In a recent performance you were completely gilded from head to toe. What was that like?
I’m covered from head to toe in lube to make the gold leaf stick, but that’s more cold and soggy than erotic! After the actual gilding I get mummified in saran wrap, which is less sexy, more sensual for me. The lube is really cold, and then it gets warm. Being at the center of this kind of devotional act feels like a homecoming…which is kind of what the best sex is like for me. During the gilding I’m focused on receiving the audience’s energy, and this depends on who is placing the gold – I’ve done it in the US where it’s been gropey, and in Bangkok where it’s reverent.
What do you wish Bangkok had more of?
Fewer expats, more immigrants. Fewer tourists, more long-term visitors. And more out and loud trans guys for sure! More trans artists. More trans people in positions of power. More trans teachers…the list goes on and on. But as a baseline, more rights for trans people.