In Thailand, ladyboys are all over the place. Thai people call them kathoey. Their big feet, low voices and Adam’s apples are usually a dead giveaway, but some are better disguised than others. Cosmetic surgery today makes it feasible to shave off that adam’s apple and pack on a pair of silicone c-cups. Apply some makeup and POOF! a man becomes a woman. Or something like that. So why does Thailand produce so many ladyboys?
In most parts of America, transexuals are vulnerable to a gauntlet of criticism from strangers and relatives alike. But in Thailand, gender identity is viewed far differently than that of western countries. Thai culture not only tolerates the ambiguous gender identity of the ‘third sex,’ but seems to encourage it.