Fakafifine


Fakafifine are people from Niue, who were born assigned male at birth but who have a feminine gender expression. In Niue this is understood as a third gender, culturally specific to the country.

Etymology

The term comes from Niuean and is composed of the prefix faka- and the suffix -fifine and is defined in Niue Language Dictionary as 'to behave like a woman' or 'to be effeminate'. A related term is fakataane which means 'to behave like a man'.
Fakafifine is included in the acronym MVPFAFF+, coined by Phylesha Brown-Acton, to "enhance Pasifika gender diversity awareness in addition to the term LGBTQI".

Notable fakafifine