Aldous Susan - Ladyboys: the secret world of Thailands third gender

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, thank you to all the ladies who revealed their souls to us. You are beautiful people with brave and boundless spirits.

Deep gratitude to TV Burabha, Koo Sang Koo Som Magazine, and Mr. Michael for putting us in contact with some of our subjects.

Our thanks also to Maverick House Publishers for all your effort involved in making this book a reality, as well as taking a chance on it in the first place.

Last but not least, thank you. Yes, you the reader. Your reading choice clearly shows that you dont judge a book by its cover.

Introduction

When we set out to write a book about the Third Gender, we really had no idea what kind of journey we were embarking upon. As we tentatively stepped into the world of Thailands transgenders, weighed down as we were by our baggage of preconceptions and blatant misconceptions, we realised that we had entered a kind of parallel universe, full of shifting sands and shapeshifters. Nothing was quite what it seemed in this house of mirrors. But with every ladyboy we encountered, we discovered that our worlds werent so different after all. When we peeled away the make-up, the wigs and the breast implants, we found that these superficial physical modifications belie individuals governed by the same core emotions as anyone else.

The term ladyboy or kathoey can include a woman with a penis, a surgically constructed vagina, breast or bottom implants, a shaved Adams apple, and numerous other kinds of cosmetic surgery. In Thailand, kathoey is the commonly used umbrella term that gathers male-to-female transgender people, as well as effeminate men, under its cover. Kathoeys are biological men who have been born with distinctly female hearts and minds. Some choose to have their anatomy corrected whilst others are content to dress in womens clothing or simply give free reign to their effeminate mannerisms. The Buddhist faith places a lot of emphasis on karma and many people believe that kathoeys are born that way due to an accumulation of wrongdoings committed in their past lives.

Our journey into the world of ladyboys took us from go-go bars and classily choreographed cabarets, to beauty salons and horrid slums that sit back to back with Thailands five-star hotels. We spent hours deep in conversation with highly educated ladyboys and those who were borderline illiterate. We interviewed the famous kick-boxer Nong Toom as well as the countrys first transgender air-hostess Nicky. In our efforts to represent all strata of society, age groups and ethical persuasions, we travelled far and wide, and searched high and low, to make sure no voices went unheard and no stones unturned.

The aim of this book was to uncover the many mysteries and secrets that lay concealed within the hormone/silicon-enhanced breasts of our interviewees. Eager to dispel the biases, and silence the jeers and snickering, we undertook to give a voice to the often marginalised ladyboys. Feeling both challenged and inspired by the task at hand, we tried not to baulk when we came face to face with tough-looking bouncers, conniving touts and some truly vile sex shows.

Since academic papers and books have already been published on ladyboys, we wanted this book to be more of a personal venture into humanity. We therefore sought out stories that came from the heart, from many hearts, so that we could offer up a three-dimensional perspective and hopefully focus attention on the individual rather than the dilemma of whether to refer to them as he, she or it.

We were put in contact with our first interviewee, courtesy of a colourful Thai man and former hardcore male sex worker, who is presently plying his trade as a ghost guide to Patpongs infamous red-light district. He enthusiastically directed us to an all-female club. Here, we found an entranced audience glued to the stage as a veritable army of bikini-clad, bored-looking dancers cavorted on the bar and entwined themselves around poles. We ascended the stairs of the club to the upper floor where a poorly orchestrated sex show was unfolding. It was here we met our first subject.

Our initial reaction was one of shock, but not for the obvious reasons. There, poised on stage, stood a beautiful, vivacious, sexy woman. She looked out of place in this seedy club. We later discovered that not only was she in possession of stunning looks and lithe limbs, but she also oozed natural charm, intelligence and confidence, all adding up to a well-rounded personality. Her attributes shone all the more brightly when pitted against her jaded-looking co-workers. They were tired, stretch-marked, worn-out mothers, weary and indifferent, struggling to support their families and, in some cases, their abusive male partners. In short, these women had surpassed their prime and been relegated to the upstairs bar.

When there was an interval in the show, the women swarmed around us, showering us with syrupy compliments for as long as we kept the drinks and tips flowing. As soon as they dried up, they abandoned usall but one that is, the ladyboy who had been recommended to us. Her manner set her apart from the other dancers. She projected, with much aplomb, the truly proper characteristics of kunlasatri , or in Western parlance, she embodied the social graces all good mothers wish upon their daughters. When she kindly offered to show us her penis to prove that she was in fact a man, we declined. There was no need anyway. Her feet had been the one and only giveaway.

During subsequent interviews, we were left speechless when this ladyboy politely divulged the methods she employed to hide her penis and thereby dupe men into paying to have sex with her. We couldnt help but wonder how many straight men had unwittingly slept with ladyboys? We began to suspect the answer was many, a suspicion that was confirmed by our subjects.

Over the months, the list of eye-openers and jaw-droppers grew, as did our empathy with our interviewees. One highly successful ladyboy shared her secrets about faking ID cards and menstrual cycles, all to keep her lover in the dark. In another case, a docile 61-year-old grandmotherly type regaled us with tales of the young backpackers she has seduced around Khao San Road; she lures them in with the offer of an innocent massage only to take things several steps beyond the realms of innocence. And she does this so she can pay the rent on her dingy, hole-in-the-wall room, when she should be spending her days knitting in her rocking chair, while rhythmically chanting under her breath, Knit one, pearl two

Alongside these sad stories, we were also treated to inspirational accounts of ladyboys making peace with themselves and society. We witnessed wonderful acts of generosity and kindness, with many of the younger ladyboys looking after the elder members of their community, and ensuring they were never short of food or money. At other times, we were troubled to discover that while these transgenders seek justice, acceptance and equality from others, some are weighed down by their own prejudices against other minorities such as bisexuals and members of the gay community.