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Ladyboy Thailand003.JPG
Bangkok November 13, 2013
Born to be a woman
Kafille is 6 years old. His mother had noticed since he was 3 years old, he already behaved as a little girl, showing signs of being feminine. His older brother, Aekachai, 23, is a ladyboy, and Kafille was definitely influenced by him.As her mother said: "we can't do anything, he has to follow his heart and has to live his life the way he wants to"
Most common English translation of Kathoey is « Ladyboy », a term that has
become popular all over the world. Before the modern times, the term Kathoey was originally used for hermaphrodites, but nowadays it is mainly used to describe the transgender women.
A significant number of Thais perceive kathoeys as belonging to a third gender, including many kathoeys themselves. They work in predominately female occupations, such as in shops, restaurants and beauty salons, but also in hotel. Kathoeys also work in the entertainment sector and at tourist centers, cabarets. Kathoeys are more visible and more accepted in the Thai culture than transgender or transsexual people are in Western countries.This acceptance is due to the nature of the surrounding Buddhist culture, which places a high value on tolerance.
For the LGBTI people who have already revealed their gender identity tend to often be the ones that have been mistreated by the general public and the media due to the lack of knowledge and understanding.
You can’t choose how you’re born, but you can choose how to live your life.
However, tolerance doesn’t mean acceptance.
Born to be a woman
Kafille is 6 years old. His mother had noticed since he was 3 years old, he already behaved as a little girl, showing signs of being feminine. His older brother, Aekachai, 23, is a ladyboy, and Kafille was definitely influenced by him.As her mother said: "we can't do anything, he has to follow his heart and has to live his life the way he wants to"
Most common English translation of Kathoey is « Ladyboy », a term that has
become popular all over the world. Before the modern times, the term Kathoey was originally used for hermaphrodites, but nowadays it is mainly used to describe the transgender women.
A significant number of Thais perceive kathoeys as belonging to a third gender, including many kathoeys themselves. They work in predominately female occupations, such as in shops, restaurants and beauty salons, but also in hotel. Kathoeys also work in the entertainment sector and at tourist centers, cabarets. Kathoeys are more visible and more accepted in the Thai culture than transgender or transsexual people are in Western countries.This acceptance is due to the nature of the surrounding Buddhist culture, which places a high value on tolerance.
For the LGBTI people who have already revealed their gender identity tend to often be the ones that have been mistreated by the general public and the media due to the lack of knowledge and understanding.
You can’t choose how you’re born, but you can choose how to live your life.
However, tolerance doesn’t mean acceptance.
- Copyright
- Jean-Michel Clajot / COSMOS
- Image Size
- 4000x2662 / 1.9MB
- Contained in galleries
- Born To be a Woman
