The Ladyboy Legacy: How Gender Colors Thai Media Coverage

Thailand's "Third Gender" is a well-discussed topic
both inside and outside of Thailand.

While the exact reasons are unknown, it is well documented that Thailand’s population is host to an unusually large subpopulation of transgender individuals. Some say this is merely due to Thailand’s accepting culture, which allows individuals to feel much more free to express themselves, though others disagree. Whatever the reason, Thailand’s “third gender” invariably plays a large role in Thai society. So large in fact, that it even features heavily in American pop culture, Hangover II anybody?
Contrary to Western society, in Thailand it was much the case that any representation of homosexual desire is not viewed as an exhibition of homosexuality, but instead that of a transgender identity. Not until recently has homosexuality been more widely accepted as a gender identity. This is simply an example of just how deeply ingrained the transgender identity is Thai culture.

A visit to Thailand, and a sampling of the nightlife in any major city will guarantee at least a few ladyboy sightings—that is if you can even notice them. So complete are the transformations that many tourists have a difficult time discerning them.  In fact, a travel article on an Australian newsite featured a how-to on the finer points of how to find a ladyboy.

 Ladyboys often go through countless gender reassignment surgeries. Some go so far as to shave

down the bone that forms their Adam's apple.

For being so ingrained, one would expect a much wider-scale acceptance of different gender identities in Thailand as opposed to its Western counterparts—and they’d be right—but only partially. For all appearances of acceptance, it is mainly just that, an appearance. More of a superficial acceptance than anything else, Thailand’s ladyboys, or kathoey as they’re more formally called, are often subject to harsh attacks and slurs by Thai media.

 In a tourism role, especially sex tourism, ladyboys play a very visible role, and are embraced by club owners and prostitution dens alike. However, for many others in Thailand, the ladyboy's still represent a break from the traditional gender roles and are not afforded the same acceptance. Ladyboys, while still afforded a level of acceptance uncommon in other countries, are not immune from unfair treatment. For example, on the front page of Thai Rath, a Thai-language daily, there was no shortage of derogatory terms. In covering a political scandal where a politician was found visiting a brothel and “consorting” with ladyboys headlines such as “Naked truth revealed. Sexual style of shit-packing Tuy makes hair stand on end” and “Now known shit-packer Tuy is parliament officer ... face of shit-packing cross-dressing  pervert Tuy revealed” were featured on the front page. (Links couldn't be found, headlines were referenced from 'The Semiotics of Transgendered Sexual Identity in the Thai Print Media: Imagery and Discourse of the Sexual Other') 

Pretty striking eh? For supposedly being more accepting of the “third gender” this coverage doesn’t exactly provide strong support for that argument. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find such explicit headlines nearly anywhere else in the world. And in case you wondering, Thai Rath is Thailand’s oldest, best-selling newspaper with a circulation in excess of one million readers.

However, the coverage is far from one-sided. Not all coverage is disparaging in nature. In fact one of Thailand’s national heroes, Nong Tum, a national kick-boxing champion is a household name. In a National Geographic profile 

Another avenue of insight into this seeming disconnect between appearances and reality of transgender acceptance is an examination of how Thailand’s dominant religion, Buddhism, influences the matter. In an interesting first-hand account Tum is depicted as a media darling, one whose riveting story of transformation garnered the support and acceptance of a nation. This example serves to muddy the waters a bit, and purposefully so, as the true level of acceptance of kathoey in Thailand is far from clear. Some, such as Tum are revered, while others, such as the “shit-packing” politician are reviled.

Basing off of this (extremely narrow) cross-section of examples, it appears that other factors may be in play regarding the cultural portrayal of kathoey. On one hand you have a politician that may or may not have been targeted via ulterior political motives, and on another you have a kickboxing champion in a nation whose love of kickboxing is almost on par with religion.

95-percent of Thais practice Buddhism and their culture
greatly reflects this. In some cases, such as this one,
 rather overtly.

 And speaking of religion, another avenue of insight into this seeming disconnect between appearances and reality of transgender acceptance is an examination of how Thailand’s dominant religion, Buddhism, influences the matter. In an interesting first-hand account a native Thai discusses the widely discussed reasons fort the high concentration of transgender individuals in Thailand. He also references the fact that Thai culture, underpinned by Buddhism, is by nature more tolerant. He also mentions that under the Karma belief system, some believe that kathoey are born that way as a result of past wrongdoings, and should thus be pitied rather than blamed.

In any case, Thailand’s “other sex” makes for a truly interesting cultural overtone that distinctly colors Thai media coverage of gender issues. Certainly, nothing is cut and dry, just as if you walk into a bar in Thailand, there’s no saying whether the woman sitting next to you was born that way (although quizzes such as this one are prevalent), or underwent the gender reassignment process. And, superficial or not, ladyboys receive more cultural acceptance in Thailand than anywhere else in the world, where even mere acknowledgement is far from being a given. Just leave it to the American film industry to trivialize a cultural milieu into a few one-liners. #HangoverPart2