Transgender/kathoey Beauty Pageants

[j0j0]

I am an undergraduate Social Anthropology student at Queen's University, Belfast, N Ireland.

I'm planning to travel to Thailand this summer to undertake a period of anthropological research, which will form the basis of my dissertation.

I intend to research how participating in beauty pageants may reinforce the chosen gender identity of transgender people in Thailand. I would intend to, amongst other things, interview a number of transgendered people about themselves and their gender identity generally and attend some beauty pageants and talk to participants and observers there. I would ideally like to reach some understanding of what it means to be a kathoey/transgendered person in Thailand.

My research so far has suggested that beauty pageants specifically for kathoey are quite common. I was wondering someone here might be able to tell me when and where these take place? I will be in Thailand from about the middle of June until the middle of September, and can travel to anywhere in the country as needed.

if anyone wants to email me directly you can reach me at jmason04 AT qub DOT ac DOT uk

thanks folks

[kmart]

The three famous places in Pattaya which have "Cabaret" type shows featuring the katoeys are "Alcazars"; "Tiffany" and "Simon" (still going?). I'm sure they have websites.

At least one of them hosts annual international pageants with trannies from all over the world competing. Not sure when they are hosted though. The shows themselves are pretty stunning, and well worth a visit.

[Pink Mist]

this post will get em all (flamers) coming out the woodwork, see how it goes.

[kmart]

this post will get em all (flamers) coming out the woodwork, see how it goes.

*Rubs hands together in eager anticipation* Game on!!!

[sabaijai]

The three famous places in Pattaya which have "Cabaret" type shows featuring the katoeys are "Alcazars"; "Tiffany" and "Simon" (still going?). I'm sure they have websites.

At least one of them hosts annual international pageants with trannies from all over the world competing. Not sure when they are hosted though. The shows themselves are pretty stunning, and well worth a visit.

Tiffany hosts the biggest, the Miss International International, annually in Pattaya.

[November Rain]

Wow! From that Miss International International link's pics, I would have sworn that about half those contestants were definitely women. They are really good!

[Heng]

Sometimes, it's hard to tell (not talking about the standard Nana style katoey... but those like Hirasu or n'Poy, last year's Miss Alcazar/Tiffany?)... even for locals. For farangs, especially newbies, near impossible. We have a sitting window/office looking down on Walking Street in Pattaya, and there are an awful lot of farangs either experimenting or simply not knowing they are walking around with former Oscar Meyers.

[Ijustwannateach]

Let's try reeeeeeal hard to keep this thread on the topic of the beauty contests and how to help the opening poster out with his research. If it turns into another general Kathoey thread I'll be very tempted to edit heavily.

[j0j0]

I had already found info on the Miss International Queen pageant that someone mentioned, but it is on in October, by which time I need to be back at Uni writing my dissertation!

Also, I really was looking for something more local: most of the participants would need to be Thai. I know that there are pleny of cabaret shows on... I might actually end up looking at that instead, but they are AFAIK pretty different from a beauty pageant.

Thanks for the useful comments, keep them coming!

Jo

[November Rain]

Let's try reeeeeeal hard to keep this thread on the topic of the beauty contests and how to help the opening poster out with his research. If it turns into another general Kathoey thread I'll be very tempted to edit heavily.

Apologies, but, as a woman, I was really impressed. They look fantastic!

[glenbat]

as a woman, I was really impressed. They look fantastic!

As a woman chaser, I too was very impressed! Some do indeed look grrrreat

[Merlin]

The three famous places in Pattaya which have "Cabaret" type shows featuring the katoeys are "Alcazars"; "Tiffany" and "Simon" (still going?).

nah, Simon stopped their shows years ago, it's just an arcade full of beer bars now.

[lazeeboy]

I had already found info on the Miss International Queen pageant that someone mentioned, but it is on in October, by which time I need to be back at Uni writing my dissertation!

Also, I really was looking for something more local: most of the participants would need to be Thai. I know that there are pleny of cabaret shows on... I might actually end up looking at that instead, but they are AFAIK pretty different from a beauty pageant.

Thanks for the useful comments, keep them coming!

Jo

samui have ladyboys 100s some of the cabarets would put on a contest im sure look up christy cabaret they have done a few and has done many tv programmes over the years find them on the net for contact..........

[Ijustwannateach]

Let's try reeeeeeal hard to keep this thread on the topic of the beauty contests and how to help the opening poster out with his research. If it turns into another general Kathoey thread I'll be very tempted to edit heavily.

Apologies, but, as a woman, I was really impressed. They look fantastic!

It's not your post that I'm worried about!

[jdinasia]

this post will get em all (flamers) coming out the woodwork, see how it goes.

Call me a "flamer" again and I am gonna report you !!

Lots of Ladyboys EVERYWHERE in Thailand ... My first week living in Hua Hin I went on a student outing to Petchaburi and there was a 'show' on stage there! (where do you ask?) Yes! at the Food Court in the Big C .... complete with the ribald comedy acts (stuffed pantyhose made to look like a BIG penis ....) was a true eyeopener about acceptance of ladyboys in Thailand.

(College in Ireland must be a bit diff than other places ..... undergrads doing dissertations now?)

[kmart]

Let's try reeeeeeal hard to keep this thread on the topic of the beauty contests and how to help the opening poster out with his research. If it turns into another general Kathoey thread I'll be very tempted to edit heavily.

Apologies, but, as a woman, I was really impressed. They look fantastic!

It's not your post that I'm worried about!

Try not to get an ulcer, Mary Poppins. Grow a sense of humour instead, why dontcha?

[Pink Mist]

this post will get em all (flamers) coming out the woodwork, see how it goes.

Call me a "flamer" again and I am gonna report you !!

Lots of Ladyboys EVERYWHERE in Thailand ... My first week living in Hua Hin I went on a student outing to Petchaburi and there was a 'show' on stage there! (where do you ask?) Yes! at the Food Court in the Big C .... complete with the ribald comedy acts (stuffed pantyhose made to look like a BIG penis ....) was a true eyeopener about acceptance of ladyboys in Thailand.

(College in Ireland must be a bit diff than other places ..... undergrads doing dissertations now?)

maybe he graduates soon and is doing research early??

[WaiWai]

("j0j0" sounds more like a woman's name than a man's, but then ...)

j0j0, are you able to run a google search in Thai ? If not, perhaps a forum member can help. That might yield more information. Also, getting into local chat forums and bulletin boards might help. I suppose only the large competitions would be mentioned in English.

Good luck with your research. It sounds like an interesting topic.

[j0j0]

yes, I am female. In the UK university system, most degrees require a dissertation to be completed in the third year. I think what we call a dissertation is different to dissertations in the US and other places though, mine is to be 8000 words which I think is shorter?

WaiWai: I can't speak any Thai, though I will be trying to learn a little before I arrive. If someone here could do a google search that would be amazingly helpful!

thanks to all of you who have given useful replies so far.

[lswalker]

Why would you want to do a dissertation about ladyboys or transgendered people?

Kind of a degraded topic isn't it.

[j0j0]

I am studying for a degree in Social Anthropology, and there is a huge amount of work done in anthropology relating to gender. I don't really understand what you mean by "degraded topic", but I can assure you that it is a perfectly valid research area, and my academic supervisor has no problems with my choice either.

[November Rain]

I am studying for a degree in Social Anthropology, and there is a huge amount of work done in anthropology relating to gender. I don't really understand what you mean by "degraded topic", but I can assure you that it is a perfectly valid research area, and my academic supervisor has no problems with my choice either.

Sounds like a really unusual & interesting choice. What gave you the idea? Good luck with it!

[j0j0]

I read an anthropological article about transgender beauty pageants in Tonga, in the south pacific. It seemed like it was in interesting idea, so I decided to look at similar issues in a different location!