I started watching Diary of Tootsies day before yesterday and completed it in exactly two days, a record which may not sound impressive to many of you but I am the sort of person who does not binge shows. I can't concentrate on just one sow or thing at a time, and somehow, DoT hooked me in so well that I finished it in two days.

Diary of Tootsies is based on a real life story, probably slightly more dramatised and written to cater to an audience, but nevertheless it is based off real stories. It follows the story of four friends: three of them—Gus, Golf and Kim—are the titular "tootsies," a term the Thai use to refer to people who are assigned the male gender but they behave and often identify in what is considered "feminine." Natty is their friend who identifies as a lesbian, the only person in the group who is into girls. ;)

The best part of Diary of Tootsies is their friendship. It was really so awesome seeing four people who were totally comfortable being themselves around each other. Unlike most dramas which pitch people together as good friends, DoT felt like the real thing. Their conversations with each other were so natural. There were times when one of them couldn't or didn't want to share their story with the others and I was so impressed to see how the friends comforted each other without crossing boundaries.

Apart from the friendship, Diary of Tootsies is easily one of the funniest shows but don't let that mislead you. DoT portrays a lot of the social stigma against queer people in Thailand, and in a way, I myself as a viewer felt challenged by the show. This intolerance against "tootsies," against people who are neither truly "men" or "women" is not just restricted to the family. It is felt in work places, in schools; when Golf, Gus and Natty were out late at night they were accosted by police who accused them of prostitution, simply assuming that queer people are selling themselves.

The show also sheds positive light on HIV and AIDS and how people can lead normal lives after it. The resolution is mostly light hearted and comical but I commend the show for its representation. It was really awesome how Gus was so mature about his relationship with Top.

However, there are certain aspects of the show which didn't sit well with me. Diary of Tootsies plays into a lot of tropes. As a person who has watched a lot of Thai shows, particularly Bl dramas, I have often come across such stereotypical fat transvestite characters who are shown as sexual predators who are constantly vying for boys. I liked how Golf was portrayed as a brave person for battling his disease but I disliked how the show used him as comedic relief.

Diary of Tootsies had a lot of cute moments, friendly moments, romantic moments, hot moments, cringe moments, awkward moments, bust my lung laughing moments, sad got me crying moments and I did not want the show to end. Natty, Golf, Gus and Kim all grew on me. Huge kudos to the showmakers, and the original people who posted these stories.