In a Catholic country where divorce, abortion and same-sex marriage are illegal, this openly transge

[LolaS]

This is only surprising to Western people. There are a lot of "illegal" lifestyle choices throughout southeast Asia, none of which are actually enforced and all of which are in your face. Ladyboys are everywhere in the Philippines and throughout Thailand, Cambodia..etc. they are news anchors, models, actresses, singers, business owners, they ring you up in the registers, and nobody bats an eyelash or even cares.

I keep seeing this story pop up like it's some kind of victory in the midst of adversity, but being an open Ladyboy in Southeast Asia carries zero negative connotations and barely any societal backlash.

Edited May 11, 2016 by LolaS

[Jingthing]

I can't speak to the Philippines, but it's a total falsehood to suggest that being a ladyboy carries no negative stigmatizing connotations in Thailand. They are often rejected by their families. Transgender Thais are generally limited to a very few professions: entertainers, prostitutes, low level clerks, waitresses, and similar. Many turn to crime with the justification often being to pay for transition procedures. Yes, a tiny percentage of Thai transgender people are in higher levels of society, but those are exceptions that don't prove anything. The more successful ones generally come from more educated families that offer support that they can do anything they want, and not limited to the traditional Thai transgender professions.

To add -- just elected in the Philippines, boxer Manny Pacquiao now a SENATOR there, an infamously rabid homophobe.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Jingthing

[LolaS]

I can't speak to the Philippines, but it's a total falsehood to suggest that being a ladyboy carries no negative stigmatizing connotations in Thailand. They are often rejected by their families. Transgender Thais are generally limited to a very few professions: entertainers, prostitutes, low level clerks, waitresses, and similar. Many turn to crime with the justification often being to pay for transition procedures. Yes, a tiny percentage of Thai transgender people are in higher levels of society, but those are exceptions that don't prove anything. The more successful ones generally come from more educated families that offer support that they can do anything they want, and not limited to the traditional Thai transgender professions.

To add -- just elected in the Philippines, boxer Manny Pacquiao now a SENATOR there, an infamously rabid homophobe.

you want to say that on West they are in better positions? Pleaseee... take a reality pill

[Jingthing]

Diversion. You're the one trying to sell people a bill of goods about the situation in Thailand.

[LolaS]

Diversion. You're the one trying to sell people a bill of goods about the situation in Thailand.

12 times better than in West!!!!

[TheSiemReaper]

Throughout the region, not just Thailand, ladyboys may be common but they aren't treated well by society at all. Look at their portrayal on local television - either fat jokes or stunning deceitful scum, no reflection on reality at all. Many are rejected by their families (thanks mainly to American cultural influences - it wasn't always that way but it is now). The vast majority don't steal to pay for surgery; instead they take enormous and foolish risks to get cheap surgery instead. I know a ladyboy in Bangkok who had her boobs put in under a local anesthetic and who was thrown out of the surgery 10 minutes after the stitches were complete. I know one in Chiang Mai who is saving a pair of second hand implants (e.g. they've been removed from someone else who wanted an upgrade on her boobs) to have those inserted when she can afford surgery and so on.

But the Philippines is way, way worse than Indochina for ladyboys. The vast majority cannot afford surgery of any kind. They are violently discriminated against not just by family but in many cases - absolutely everyone. The lead story is quite right to be amazed at what has happened and it's a testament to people being better than their culture, legal system, etc. allow for.