Ladyboys !

[bermondburi]

Has anyone else noticed that you don't really see that many old ladyboys ( 40+) , so what happens to them ? I have a few theories 1) they kill themselves

2) they stop and revert back to being a man

3) they hide it

any ideas, and why ?

[lovelomsak]

I often wonder the samething. Back in 1997 I was in Hua Hin and saw one that must have been close to 40 and had a definite receding hairline. Looked quite odd. But I think most get jobs in the market or cleaning rooms some job for survival. Or maybe they all marry guys from Europe and move there.

[Forethat]

I find this topic extremely interesting. I think ladyboys are invisible due to their age and the profession involved. I tend to see older ladyboys still working in the fashion/cosmetic business even at a higher age. In addition, the older ones I see in the bar/restaurant industry tend to be owners rather than staff. I also know from a personal experience that many ladyboys who worked in the bar scene tend to go back to their home village when they have reached an age where they are no longer young or beautiful enough to attract business.

I have been fortunate enough to get to know a ladyboy, or kateuy, as Thais call them. Remarkably, I refer to her as a SHE. To me, this person IS a she, and not a male scarecrow in a girls dress. She has been kind enough to share bits and pieces of her fantastic story. Kateuys is a remarkable feature of Thai culture, and to even suggest that there are three toilets in many schools in Isaan (Boys, Girls and Kateuys) boggles the mind. Boys start behaving as girls at a very young age, and to some extent this is fully accepted.

My take on this is that lady boys have greater than usual demand for attention, both emotional and sexual. They seek this attention to justify themselves, and when the attention disappears, so does the will to live. My guess is that many of these girls (yes!) want nothing more than to be loved. Unfortunately, many of them get none of that. Eventually, they go back home and remain there for the rest of their lives. I also know from my friend that Kateuys have a greater tendency to commit suicide than normal women (or men) at this age.

If someone with writing skills would write a book on this topic I'd buy it.

[arthurwait]

I've seen several older tuuds. I don't imagine they can pull the lady look off anymore or be bothered with the effort.

Maybe 10 bottles of Leo makes them look younger than they are.

[hands22]

They all go to heaven as fairies.

Just a joke.

I love talking to ladyboys...they are some of the funniest people on earth.

[Jingthing]

...

If someone with writing skills would write a book on this topic I'd buy it.

The Third Sex: Kathoey: Thailand's Ladyboys

Richard Totman (Author)

Lady Boys, Tom Boys, Rent Boys: Male and Female Homosexualities in Contemporary Thailand [Paperback]

Peter A. Jackson (Editor), Gerard Sullivan (Editor)

[Forethat]

I've seen several older tuuds. I don't imagine they can pull the lady look off anymore or be bothered with the effort.

No!? Try going up to Isaan and when you see a 50 year old Kateuy on her knees in a rice field wearing make up and a dress you'll change your mind.

These guys aren't girls for the fun of it, they ARE girls - why would they stop being girls only because they grow old?

[Forethat]

...

If someone with writing skills would write a book on this topic I'd buy it.

The Third Sex: Kathoey: Thailand's Ladyboys

Richard Totman (Author)

Lady Boys, Tom Boys, Rent Boys: Male and Female Homosexualities in Contemporary Thailand [Paperback]

Peter A. Jackson (Editor), Gerard Sullivan (Editor)

Awesome, JT! I'll get these right away.

[Jingthing]

Lots work in gay bars in management/product pusher roles.

[phuturatica]

They just grow old gracefully like the rest of the female population. They probably splash out on some anti-wrinkle cream too. That's what I would do.

[mca]

Lady Boys, Tom Boys, Rent Boys: Male and Female Homosexualities in Contemporary Thailand [Paperback]

Peter A. Jackson (Editor),

Bit of a comedown from Lord Of The Rings IMHO.

[arthurwait]

I've seen several older tuuds. I don't imagine they can pull the lady look off anymore or be bothered with the effort.

No!? Try going up to Isaan and when you see a 50 year old Kateuy on her knees in a rice field wearing make up and a dress you'll change your mind.

These guys aren't girls for the fun of it, they ARE girls - why would they stop being girls only because they grow old?

I mean the older LB I have seen don't put so much effort in as they used to with make up, clothes etc. or just through being older and don't look as much like women as before. They have shorter hair or just tied back in a pony tail. Sure they want to be girls, but just look less convincing or wear more mans clothes. Tuuds as people seem to call them.

Maybe it's just the ones I've seen (few) or a lot more come from Esarn, but here I don't think I've seen an older LB in a dress and heels.

[DLock]

Lady Boys, Tom Boys, Rent Boys: Male and Female Homosexualities in Contemporary Thailand [Paperback]

Peter A. Jackson (Editor),

Bit of a comedown from Lord Of The Rings IMHO.

I can see where the inspiration for Gollum came from now...old ladyboys.

Funny.

[bkkjames]

Maybe after 30 the thrill wears off-out of fashion, so last decade, past their best before date, tired of shaving, high heals hurt too much.....

[kerryk]

Maybe after 30 the thrill wears off-out of fashion, so last decade, past their best before date, tired of shaving, high heals hurt too much.....

I do believe that most old women wear less make up and high heels, except in Florida where they change from blond hair to blue hair and put on the make up with a putty knife. Old American lady boys all go to Miami, I think it a law. There was a club in Chiang Mai that whenever it got raided by the BIB the stage was filled with old lady boys. Ahh those were the days....

[thaiIand]

wow the op copy pasted word for word a topic from last year and the first answer is quite similar also.

[Semper]

I've seen several older tuuds. I don't imagine they can pull the lady look off anymore or be bothered with the effort.

Maybe 10 bottles of Leo makes them look younger than they are.

A "tuud" is not a ladyboy "kateuy"

[arthurwait]

I've seen several older tuuds. I don't imagine they can pull the lady look off anymore or be bothered with the effort.

Maybe 10 bottles of Leo makes them look younger than they are.

A "tuud" is not a ladyboy "kateuy"

I'm told all by Thais it is a very camp guy that may or may not wear some womens clothes, but doesn't try to look like exactly like a woman or perhaps fails to do so and insulting to ladyboys who do try to look feminine.

The older cross dressers I see resemble the above which may have been non TS ladyboys in the past.

This is all so confusing and it seems Thais are confused by their own language again when they call them it.

[Pdaz]

'Tuud' means 'anus' or moe colliquially 'a$$hole' in Thai.. 'Tuud' is just slang for feminine acting (submissive) male gays. It's kinda derrogatory and is used because of the association with anal sex. A bit like Westerners may call Gays 'bum boys'

Khatoeys are different to feminine gay men who often have no wish to dress as or become a female..

Cos there seem to be so many shades of gay in Thailand they (the Thais) have many nicknames for them.

Usually I hear older chunky unfeminine looking khatoeys referred to as 'Khaotey Kwai'

Guess that isn't vey polite either. Sure members more clued up on gayness than me will have more knowledge of the terms used to describe them.

[norrona]

'Tuud' means 'anus' or moe colliquially 'a$$hole' in Thai.. 'Tuud' is just slang for feminine acting (submissive) male gays. It's kinda derrogatory and is used because of the association with anal sex. A bit like Westerners may call Gays 'bum boys'

Khatoeys are different to feminine gay men who often have no wish to dress as or become a female..

Cos there seem to be so many shades of gay in Thailand they (the Thais) have many nicknames for them.

Usually I hear older chunky unfeminine looking khatoeys referred to as 'Khaotey Kwai'

Guess that isn't vey polite either. Sure members more clued up on gayness than me will have more knowledge of the terms used to describe them.

you changed your tune pretty quick big boy

[Travel2003]

Were there as many ladyboys around (in Thailand) 20-25 years ago, as there are now?

I kind of doubt it.

This I guess will also affect a fewer number of "mature" ladyboys being around.

Yes?

No?

This is a question for the "old dogs" having been here for decades already.

[thaipod]

We have a factory near us and there are about 7-8 old lady boys between 30 and 40 + it's quite amusing to watch them doing there cat walk sway with hand bags to work all chatting away with the girls about fashion and food , most of them are not attractive, 2 of them have receding hairline and overweight . So I guess there must be a lot in other factories throughout Thailand .

[Semper]

Were there as many ladyboys around (in Thailand) 20-25 years ago, as there are now?

I kind of doubt it.

This I guess will also affect a fewer number of "mature" ladyboys being around.

Yes?

No?

This is a question for the "old dogs" having been here for decades already.

Good question.

[BookMan]

...

If someone with writing skills would write a book on this topic I'd buy it.

The Third Sex: Kathoey: Thailand's Ladyboys

Richard Totman (Author)

Lady Boys, Tom Boys, Rent Boys: Male and Female Homosexualities in Contemporary Thailand [Paperback]

Peter A. Jackson (Editor), Gerard Sullivan (Editor)

Awesome, JT! I'll get these right away.

Might want to check this one out too. Quite recent.

Ladyboys:

the secret world of Thailand's third gender Susan Aldous, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol

[BookMan]

wow the op copy pasted word for word a topic from last year and the first answer is quite similar also.

Send the thread link through. Plagiarism always helps the quality of my posts

[Semper]

Try going up to Isaan and when you see a 50 year old Kateuy on her knees in a rice field

Thanks for not going into more details.

[Heng]

Cancer accounts for many of them according to the doctors and nurses in my family. Particularly those who start self prescribing themselves with anti-androgens and estrogen regimens at an early age. Supposedly these meds have gotten more and more potent (some say more effective) over time. Suicide also takes a lot. If you can imagine, an awful lot of inner torment is understandable if you firmly believe you are a woman but are living in an aging man's body.

[canopy]

I live in the provinces and have seen what happens across the age spectrum. As most ladyboys get older they reach a point that they can't make the girl look work anymore as they succumb to becoming fat, balding, and middle aged. They no longer use a contrived voice, wear women's clothing, or spend much time looking pretty save for special occasions. That means most people will no longer "see them" though there are effervescent telltale clues. But inside ladyboys identify themselves as being female for their entire life, preferring careers and hobbies like women. They are accepted and sometimes revered by society during their lives in ways they may not even recognize.Though some people including parents may oppose who they wish to be, it is in vain.

[geriatrickid]

The older ladyboys of Patong congregate on the first soi leading to the Paradise Hotel off of Rat U. I refer to one as the creature from the black lagoon as it took me a year to identify it after I kept getting pounced on the way home at night. It would hide in the doorway of a shop on Rat U and literally grab on to unsuspecting passerby. Weighing in at approximately 100 kg and with a couture from a very bad horror film it would lie in wait for its prey. This creature was neither ladylike, nor charming. The ladyboys on the soi I refer to are well worn and kept out of the Paradise complex for obvious reasons; too sketchy, not very attractive and downright scary. They are a pack of 7-12 on many nights lounging about looking quite menacing. Approximate chronological ages from 35-50, although appearances suggest their lifestyles have aged them by 10-15 years. These are the lowest of the LB social strata and I think most respectable LBs would say, please don't judge us by this pack of scavengers.

My understanding of the respectable LBs is that they go home to live with family. Many have been thrifty over the years and saved up for their older years. Others have acquired job skills that are of use in their villages, while others go to help a sister or cousin care for a family. They are just like us, waiting for the slow freight train to pull into the rail yard of death. Often they are the go to person in a family since they are single and have the time to get dumped on. Others have and do find happiness with someone.

Some of the older LBs in the villages are the victims of scams and miserable relatives just like farangs. They too fall for the stories of the man that says he will love them longtime or the pushy relative that wants to borrow money. It sucks to get old and to be alone. And yes, LBs do seem to have a higher incidence of organic related illnesses related to the use of hormones and other "treatments". Many of these subjects received treatments from unqualified or non licensed practitioners, while others did not receive follow up care.

Ladyboys present a unique and poorly serviced patient group in the health care field. There is no recognition of their specific needs. Some meet their ends like many farangs in Thailand, dying alone in their room wishing that they could have been loved.

[kerryk]

You really confused me with the “tuud” thing. I think you mean “doot” and an*s is “loot doot.”

Ya there were always ladyboys around. I had a Army buddy when there were 50,000 GI's stationed here who married one and took her back to North Dakota. They became pillars of the community in that small Western town. I never figured out if anyone ever found or how the heck he got her marriage visa approved. The Army was hard enough for regular lady visas let alone a lady boy.

Thailand has a long history of men dressing up and wearing make up and dancing but you will get differing opinions as to the significance.