Basically, we can consider that "ladyboys" are simply Asian transgender women. There are actually slight differences between ladyboys and transgender women as a whole. Loved by some, hated by others, the word "ladyboy" and the ladyboys themselves carry some history that makes an interesting read.
Definition of ladyboy
Ladyboy is the (not so literal) English translation for Kathoey, which is a Thai term that is very close to being the equivalent of a transgender woman, but it can also encapsulate effeminate gay men.
It is unclear what is the exact origin of the word. Kathoeys have been around forever in Thailand, the phenomenon is nothing new. The most plausible origin dates from when Thailand became a huge tourist spot. The US military, during the Vietnam War, used to spend their free time on the beaches of Thailand, looking for alcohol and women. And obviously the "kathoeys" couldn't be left unnoticed. And so the need for an English term arose, simple because it is more convenient.
Note: The term ladyboy is not appreciated by everyone. Although Thais and most of Asians are fine with it, it is perceived derogatory in the western world. Thanks to the internet and other media the term is usually associated with porn and/or prostitution as "ladyboy porn" tends to be popular amongst western men. The term "ladyboy" is nothing official and is actually politically incorrect. Are ladyboys more "lady" or more "boy"? Transgender women is the accepted, official and politically correct term. But "ladyboy" is commonly used in Asia as an everyday word. After all, the term originated in Thailand to facilitate communication with westerners, thus Asians are fine with it.
Ladyboy in Thailand
Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles, but it's also know as the Land of the Ladyboys! Compared to other countries, like the Philippines or Malaysia, Thailand has a way higher population of ladyboys in the world. As a matter of fact the word "ladyboy" is the English translation for "Kathoey", a Thai term for transgender women and effeminate gay men.
There are many reasons that explain why there are so many ladyboys in Thailand. First, the people and society are extremely open and tolerant towards ladyboys. Thai people are mainly Buddhist, which is a religion extremely tolerant and acceptant of people with differences. Second, Thai ladyboys have features that are naturally feminine. Just like other Asians, they have petite bodies, thin facial features and smooth skin. This helps Thai ladyboys to go through their transition and be "passable" for the society.
Ladyboys are widely accepted in Thai society. Unlike other countries, it is not shameful to have a ladyboy in the family. Even though discrimination still exists, ladyboys in Thailand have access to most of all professional domains.
Ladyboy in the Philippines
Right after Thailand come the Philippines. A country that's traditionally Roman Catholic, but where the society is also very tolerant towards all LGBTs, and that includes of course transgender people and ladyboys. There are also local Filipino terms that could be equivalent to the Thai Kathoey, such as "bakla" or "bayot" which define effeminate gays or transgender women.
Like Thailand, ladyboys in the Philippines are present in every layer of society. They are very present in the media and the public scene. Some families happen to have several transgender children and they are well accepted by their parents.
You will notice that online dating sites for transgender women are very often crowded with Filipino ladyboys. That's because they usually speak very good English and have wide access to laptops and smartphones.
Ladyboy in Asia
The rest of Asia has also a traditional history of local ladyboys. There are "warias" in Indonesia, "hijras" in India, "new half" in Japan... The diversity of terms denotes the difference with the western conception of transgenderism, which is closely related but not exactly equivalent.
The English term "ladyboy" has become popular in all South East Asia, used along with the local terms, or as a replacement when Asians are talking with foreigners.
Ladyboy in the world
The rest of the world does not use the term ladyboy as much, unless referring to porn. The preferred term in Europe and America is the latin-based, transgender or transsexual women. They make a clear distinction between transsexuals and gay men (even the effeminate homosexuals).
Outside of Asia, the term "ladyboy" is perceived negatively, because it's closely related to internet pornography or ladyboy prostitutes in Asia made popular on TV and documentaries. Ladyboy can often be an insult, equivalent to calling a woman a "prostitute". It is also used to imply that a transgender woman is not passable enough.
Meeting and dating ladyboys
Meeting ladyboys often means travelling to Asia. Because that's where they are! There is a number of Asian ladyboys living in the west though, UK, Europe, USA, Canada and Australia all have a substancial number of Asian immigrants, including "ladyboys". While in Asia, it's almost "easy" to meet ladyboys, as easy as meeting someone randomly in the street. The only problem is: will you be able to spot them? Asian ladyboys pass remarkably in the crowd, it's sometimes extremely difficult to make the difference between an Asian ladyboy and an Asian biological woman.
Another issue when travelling through Asia and meeting ladyboys "on the street", is the risk to fall for bad intentioned ladyboys. When you are a foreigner, not all the people you meet are random. You can be a target for either opportunists, organised crime or sex workers. The stereotype is that all ladyboys are sex workers, but this is not the case. There are many ladyboys who have a normal jobs and they do not have much time to hang out at bars or clubs to meet men. Of course they like to go out and have fun, but there are plenty of ladyboys that hang out in bars on a daily basis because they work in the sex industry.
Dating ladyboys on My Ladyboy Date
We made My Ladyboy Date to address these issues. We wanted to be the first decent dating site for ladyboys and transsexual women. We wanted to help the ladyboys of everyday life find men who truly want to date them and form a love relationship they deserve. Even if you are not in Asia, you can now meet ladyboys online using our dating site. In My Ladyboy Date you will meet the ladyboys of everyday life instead of escorts or those in the sex industry. You will meet real ladyboys who aspire to have a real relationship with a real man.
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