{"id":714,"date":"2021-10-14T01:38:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T01:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trulyladyboy.com\/blog\/?p=714"},"modified":"2021-09-09T08:11:15","modified_gmt":"2021-09-09T08:11:15","slug":"ladyboy-culture-in-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trulyladyboy.com\/blog\/ladyboy-culture-in-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete Guide to Ladyboy Culture In Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thailand is far from a boring country! The Land of Smiles has plenty of sights to see, places to be, food to eat, and people to meet\u2014the kathoeys <\/em>are some of those people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathoeys<\/em>, which loosely translates to ladyboys, <\/em>refer to men who express their gender in feminine ways; in some cases, the term also applies to effeminate gay males. Their presence is especially felt in cities like Bangkok and Pattaya. Did you know that many people visit Thailand just to see them? Yes, you read that right! The fact that the \u201cwhy are there so many ladyboys in Thailand\u201d is a popular Thai culture Google search term is proof of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this entry, we\u2019ll get to know a bit more about the ladyboy <\/em>culture in Thailand. Let\u2019s look beyond the makeup and costumes, shall we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathoey <\/em><\/strong>history<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a bit of trivia for you: did you know that the Thai kathoey <\/em>identity began as early as the 14th century? A USAID report<\/a> confirms this fact. However, it wasn\u2019t until the 19th century that Western influences and philosophies (which include the criminalization of homosexuality) wove themselves into Thai society. In addition, the Thai LGBT community started its visibility after the Second World War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that said, Thai society generally views kathoeys <\/em>as a third gender, existing outside women and men. Kathoeys<\/em> prefer this term because they regard \u201cladyboy\u201d as a disrespectful one, despite its nuances. So when you encounter one, try to be as respectful as possible and mind your language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kathoeys <\/em><\/strong>and Buddhism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Religion plays a role in Thai society\u2019s perception of kathoeys<\/em>. 95% of the country\u2019s population subscribes to Theravada Buddhism, which doesn\u2019t entirely give kathoeys <\/em>a warm welcome. Many Buddhists believe that kathoeys <\/em>are paying the price for their past lives\u2019 mistakes, which stems from their belief in karma\u2014a fundamental Buddhist concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That aside, they don\u2019t close the door on them either. Ancient Buddhist scriptures talk about three genders: women, men, and kathoeys<\/em>. Going by that, Buddhism allows and acknowledges their existence. And since karma is a core philosophy, people have no reason to disrespect them; after all, what goes around comes around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u201c\u201cAsian\u201d\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/center>\n\n\n\n

Kathoeys <\/em>in Thai society<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since we\u2019ve mentioned kathoeys\u2019 <\/em>visibility in Thai society, let\u2019s go further into the subject. Shall we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangkok (Thailand\u2019s capital) is considered the country\u2019s central area for the LGBT community. Pattaya comes at a close second, considering its nightlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biases against them still exist, and the national government hasn\u2019t done much by denying them several rights. As of writing, there aren\u2019t any laws that acknowledge their sexual orientation and the gender they identify with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the setbacks, you\u2019re probably wondering why there are many kathoeys <\/em>in the country. Here are few good reasons behind their visibility in Thai society:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1: Tolerance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One thing\u2019s for sure: kathoeys<\/em> are allowed to live their lives publicly, freely, and honestly in the capital and Pattaya\u2014lives that other places in the world don\u2019t grant. The fact that Buddhism\u2014Thailand\u2019s most practiced religion\u2014acknowledges their existence (as mentioned earlier) helps a lot. This belief allows them to live life generally like every other Thai without fearing for their lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s not all sunshine and rainbows 24\/7 for kathoeys<\/em>. They may not be bullied and discriminated against outright, but they still have difficulty getting well-paying jobs. When they do, though, they tend to get low posts and unfortunately get skipped over for promotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2: Gender reassignment surgeries aren\u2019t uncommon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thailand isn\u2019t just a travel destination. Many transgender people (both locals and foreigners) flock to the country to avail themselves of gender reassignment surgery. It\u2019s a small yet steady niche in its medical tourism sector, which attracts over 2 million visitors annually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Thailand of all places? Dr. Preecha Tiewtranon\u2014a pioneer of the country\u2019s gender reassignment surgery\u2014gives three reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n