Kathoey, un genre multiple

Abstract

Thai male-to-female transsexuals, “kathoey” adapt themselves and adjust their roles and their physical identity i.e., their appearances to different interactional situations. They can adopt their appearance and play masculine roles in the situation in which revealing femininity would be inacceptable or would cause them problem socially. Occasionally, in some situations, they can do the opposite by showing off their femininity they confirm to others who they really are. Kathoey negotiate their identity and their social position by proving and emphasizing on their personal qualities, capacities and others privileges such as social and economical status, beauty, professional competency etc. to gain social acceptation and admiration. Even though they have been marginalized by the society, they tend to reintegrate themselves in their social environment by using different strategies of such as personal identities, showing of their professional success and achievement, outstanding family background, different social goals and expectation.

Keywords

• gender identity
• kathoey
• ladyboy
• ladyman
• transsexuals MTF
• transgender MTF