Kathoey
Kathoey or katoey, commonly translated as ladyboys, is a term used by some people in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand who were assigned male at birth and present as transfeminine or effeminate. Transgender women in Thailand mostly use terms other than kathoey when referring to themselves, such as . In the context of Thai gender norms, many perceive kathoeys as belonging to a third gender.
In the face of the many sociopolitical obstacles that kathoeys navigate in Thailand, kathoey activism has led to constitutional protection from unjust gender discrimination as of January 2015, but a separate third gender category has not yet been legally recognized.
History
men in Khmer society were observed by Chinese explorer Zhou Daguan who visited Angkor Wat in 1296–1297. In The Customs of Cambodia he records the presence of who tried to "lure Chinese men by promising them sumptuous gifts".A 19th-century interpretation of the Chbab Srey is also said to contain mentions of "malicious" women being punished in the "four hells" and being reincarnated as kathoey.
Terminology
The word kathoey is of Khmer ខ្ទើយ. It is most often translated as ladyboy in English conversation, an expression that has become popular across Southeast Asia.A study of 195 Thai transgender women found that most of the participants referred to themselves as , with a minority referring to themselves as and very few referring to themselves as kathoey. Related phrases include , and or .
General description
Although kathoey is often translated as 'transgender woman' in English, this term is not correct in Thailand. As well as transgender people, the term can refer to gay men, and was originally used to refer to androgynous people. Before the 1960s, the use of kathoey included anyone who deviated from the dominant sexual norms. Because of this confusion in translation, the English translation of kathoey is usually 'ladyboy'.Use of the term kathoey suggests that the person self-identifies as a type of male, in contrast to , and in contrast to . The term song, which can be translated as 'second-type female', is also used to refer to kathoey. Australian scholar of sexual politics in Thailand Peter Jackson claims that the term kathoey was used in antiquity to refer to intersex people, and that the connotation changed in the mid-20th century to cover cross-dressing males. kathoey became an iconic symbol of modern Thai culture. The term can refer to males who exhibit varying degrees of femininity. Many dress as women and undergo "feminising" medical procedures such as breast implants, hormones, silicone injections, or Adam's apple reductions. Others may wear make-up and use feminine speech patterns, but dress as men, and are closer to the Western category of effeminate gay man than transgender.
The term kathoey may be considered pejorative, especially in the form. It has a meaning similar to the English language 'fairy' or 'queen'. kathoey can also be seen as a derogatory word for those who are gay.
Religion
In Buddhism there are a variety of interpretations on how to relate to kathoey and transgender people. Some within the Theravada school of Buddhism see being a kathoey as the result of karmic punishment for previous lifetimes. Bunmi, a Thai Buddhist author, believes that homosexuality stems from "lower level spirits", a factor that is influenced by one's past life. Some Buddhists view kathoeys as persons born with a disability as a consequence of past sins. Using the notion of karma, some Thais believe that being a kathoey is the result of transgressions in past lives, concluding that kathoeys deserve pity rather than blame. Others, however, believe that kathoeys should rectify their past life transgressions. This is done through merit-making such as "making donations to a temple or by ordaining as monks". While other Buddhists believe that the Buddha was never hostile to LGBT people and therefore that seeing being LGBT as a karmic punishment is a mistaken interpretation.In northern Thailand, kathoeys, women, and gay men are considered to have soft souls and are therefore easily frightened and highly susceptible to possession. These three groups are heavily represented in spirit summoning since people without soft souls are considered immune to possession. Despite this, kathoeys being a large proportion of the spirit medium population is a modern phenomenon since there is little evidence that kathoeys were associated with religious practice and were banned from religious ceremony before the modern period. In rural areas in north Thailand, kathoeys have taken on jobs as spirit mediums where they become known as Kathoey maa-khii. Spirit mediumship provide kathoeys with a source of income as well as a support network.
During the festival of the nine gods in southern Thailand, kathoeys participate as spiritual mediums of the god Kaun Im. The southern Thailand tradition of the spirit medium Nora dance has traditionally been a primarily male performance. However, women and kathoeys have become an increasingly large proportion of the performers, with a majority male performers in 2014 being either gay men or ''kathoeys.''
Requirements to confirm eligibility for gender-affirming surgery
In Thai cities such as Bangkok, there are currently two to three gender-affirming surgery operations per week, more than 3,500 over the past thirty years. With the massive increase in GASs, there has also been an increase in prerequisites, measures that must be taken in order to be eligible for the operation. Patients must be at least 18 years old with permission from parents if under 20 years old. One must provide evidence of diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a psychologist or psychiatrist. Before going through gender-affirming surgery, one must be on hormones/antiandrogens for at least one year. Patients must have a note from the psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. Two months prior to the surgery, patients are required to see a psychiatrist in Thailand to confirm eligibility for gender-affirming surgery.Social context
Kathoeys are more visible and more accepted in Thai culture than transgender people are in other countries in the world. Several popular Thai models, singers, and movie stars are kathoeys, and Thai newspapers often print photographs of the winners of female and kathoey beauty contests side by side. The phenomenon is not restricted to urban areas; there are kathoeys in most villages, and kathoey beauty contests are commonly held as part of local fairs.A common stereotype is that older, well-off kathoeys provide financial support to young men with whom they are in romantic relationships.
Kathoeys currently face many social and legal impediments. Families are typically disappointed if a child becomes a kathoey, and kathoeys often have to face the prospect of disclosing their birth sex. However, kathoeys generally have greater acceptance in Thailand than most other East Asian countries. Problems can also arise in regards to access to amenities and gender allocation.
Employment
Many kathoeys work in predominately female occupations, such as in shops, restaurants, and beauty salons, but also in factories. Discrimination in employment is rampant as many perceive kathoeys as having mental problems and refuse to hire them. In addition, the difficulty for kathoeys to change their gender marker on official documentation makes finding employment harder. For these reasons, many kathoeys are only able to find work in sex and entertainment industries. These sorts of jobs include tourist centers, cabarets, and sex work. Kathoeys who work in the tourism sector must conform to a physical image that is preferred by tourists. Kathoeys who obtain jobs in the civil service sector are required to wear uniforms coinciding with their assigned sex of male. In 2011, the short-lived airline P.C. Air began hiring kathoeys as flight attendants.In rural areas in northern Thailand, some kathoeys have acquired jobs picking fruit from trees. According to rural traditions men and women perform separate roles in the process of collecting fruit. Men climb trees while women collect fruit in baskets below. However, kathoeys are allowed to perform both roles. Kathoeys in rural areas in northern Thailand have begun acquiring jobs as spirit mediums as well.