Thammasat student was 'transgender'

Regarding the picture on last Sunday’s front page “Dress Rehearsal”, it continues to astound me that a country so open and accepting of transgender people, aka “katoeys”, that there is still so much misinformation about the subject... if somebody lives their life as a woman, and dresses and acts as such 24/7, then that person is transgender, but NOT transvestite, or a drag queen.

Some definition is in order (all according to the “Benjamin standards of care” which is the arbiter of whether or not a person is allowed by their psychiatrist, in the West at least, to be eligible for the irreversable life-changing surgery procedure (SRS/GRS – sexual/gender reassignment surgery) – and yes, all of these types, in Thailand, correctly are categorised as “katoey” which can also be an effeminate gay male (frequently I have had my Thai friends describe “fem” gay males as a “gay katoey”).

1) Transvestite: a man or woman who dresses in one or more clothing items of the opposite sex only during specific instances, ie, going out to a club, in private, etc; most transvestites experience sexual titillation from doing so; transvestitism is classified (mistakenly, in my opinion) as part of the transgendered umbrella; in reality it should be classified under “fetishes”.

2) Drag queen: a gay male who dresses as a female sometimes, usually as a caricature and/or homage.

3) Transgender/transsexual: a person who feels that they were “born in the wrong body”; (unless self-suppressed, not realised/ “awakened” yet, or (feeling) unable to do so due to social, family, or peer disapproval), after therapy and hormone treatment, these people live, breathe, and spend every waking and sleeping moment living, dressing, etc, as their perceived true gender. There is seldom if ever any sexual titillation involved in the act of doing so; however, not every transsexual/transgender person goes “all the way” (undergoing complete surgery)-frequently there will be only breast augmentation, as well as other cosmetic surgery to change various aspects of facial or physical appearance.

While I realise that Thailand does not allow one to change their name and/or gender on any identifying documents/info, this truly should be changed to reflect Thai society’s long acknowledgement and acceptance of katoeys. Even the USA, which is extremely prejudiced against katoeys and such, allows people to legally change their name, without justification thereof.

America and many other countries also allow change of gender on all identifying documents except passports with doctor authorisation; in the case of people having undergone the SRS/GRS procedure – a provisional passport is issued for the perceived gender if one is travelling overseas to undergo the operation, with a permanent one issued with doctor certification of having completed the “change”. (In Iran, amazingly enough, where harsh Sharia law forbids homosexuality, acceptance of katoeys as someone truly feeling themselves “born in the wrong body”, and not gay whatsoever – even in that Islamic Republic, the state PROVIDES the procedure free of charge, as well as changes of gender and name on all ID documents). If one lives their life as a female, they should NOT be referred to as “he”, “drag queen”, or “transvestite”.

How do i know this?  Because I came to Phuket for my GRS in Sept 2008, and moved to this wonderful Kingdom of Thailand one year later; I am legally, physically, mentally, and emotionally female (on all documents including my passport); it saddens and frustrates me that I can not legally marry my Thai boyfriend, although I can have a civil ceremony ... 

jenifer divine

Krabi