Thailand | The last soccer hostesses on the field of prejudices

(Pathum Thani) Be “calm and beautiful”: In Thailand, the last group of hostesses employed by a football club confront the sexist stereotypes that persist in the kingdom on match days.

“We are brand ambassadors, so it’s important for us to look good,” says Phatlita Lertphaholphat, 29, as she paints her face with glitter and other cosmetics.

“By remaining calm and beautiful”, the atmosphere “softens” in the stadium dominated by a male audience, she notes.

The young woman belongs to the “Rabbit Girls” squad which helps host matches played at home by BG Pathum Thani United, a first division team from the suburbs of Bangkok.

In Thailand, it is not uncommon to come across hostesses at promotional events chosen for their appearance, going against what can happen elsewhere in the world, in the name of the fight against gender prejudice.

Formula 1 has abandoned the “grid girls” and the Tour de France the “misses” on the podiums, but in the South-East Asian kingdom, mentalities are taking time to evolve, according to experts interviewed by the AFP.

The widespread idea is that “men excel at sports, while women provide entertainment,” summarizes Naiyana Supapung, a women’s rights activist.

“It’s as if capitalism and patriarchy are shaking hands” over hostesses, adds Sukrittaya Jukping, professor of gender studies at Thammasat University in Bangkok.

The twenty “Rabbit Girls” are chosen each year by fans, from hundreds of candidates who must be single and under 30 years old.

Social networks

Dances broadcast on TikTok, prevention messages for waste sorting, encouragement, photos… On match days, they crisscross the pitch, the stands and the surroundings of the stadium to raise the mood among some 6,000 spectators.

“Women are better at offering this kind of entertainment,” said Nopparuj Charoensuk, a 19-year-old supporter, encountered before a championship match in early March.

BG Pathum Thani United are the last club in Thailand to employ hostesses – the others have abandoned the idea for financial reasons.

The manager of the club responsible for the “Rabbit Girls” denies using young women as objects, and ensures that she entrusts them with modern tasks in line with the era of social networks.

“When we look for the next generation of Rabbit Girls, we look for talented women with qualities to express themselves,” explains Nittayaporn Tharasuk, director of partnerships, marketing and communications.

Hostesses are paid between 20,000 and 30,000 baht per month ($740 to $1,110), and many of them have another job on the side.

“There are skills I learned in this job, like public speaking and time management,” explains Phatlita Lertphaholphat, who manages to save money while supporting her family.

Experience is more valuable than appearance, she continues. “I’m thinking of doing this for two more years, and then I’d like to start my own business. »