A fakaleitī (or leiti or fakafefine or lady) is a Tongan individual assignedmale at birth who has a femininegender expression. The term fakaleitī is made up of the prefix faka- (in the manner of) and the borrowing lady from English. Fakaleitīs themselves prefer to call themselves leitī or ladies.
Although leitī in Tonga do not necessarily associate with LGBT identities in the Western world, those who grow up in Tongan migrant communities in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States may find a greater level of community and affinity to similar identities than leitī in the island kingdom.
Leitī or fakafefine are similar to Samoan fa'afafine and Hawaiian māhū.
The Tonga Leitis' Association organizes the Miss Galaxy Pageant in Tonga. They have also been involved in reforming colonially influenced laws about leitī life that remain in Tonga. In 2018 a documentary film, Leitis in Waiting, was made about leitī leader Joey Mataele and the efforts of the Tonga Leitis' Association.[1] Mataele also works with the Pacific Equality Project, a non-profit group advocating for the decriminalization of LGBT peoples from post-colonial laws in the Pacific Islands.[2]
^Pacific News Minute: Tonga's Leitis "We Cannot Be Silent Anymore."
^. Archived from the original on 2019-09-06. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
Bibliographyedit
James, Kerry E. (1994). "Effeminate Males and Changes in the Construction of Gender in Tonga". Pacific Studies. 17 (2): 39–69.
Besnier, Niko (1994). "Polynesian Gender Liminality Through Time and Space". In Herdt, Gilbert (ed.). Third Sex, Third Gender: Beyond Sexual Dimorphism in Culture and History. New York: Zone. pp. 285–328. ISBN978-0-942299-82-3.
Besnier, Niko (1997). "Sluts and Superwomen: The Politics of Gender Liminality in Urban Tonga". Ethnos. 62 (1–2): 5–31. doi:10.1080/00141844.1997.9981542.
Besnier, Niko (2002). "Transgenderism, Locality, and the Miss Galaxy Beauty Pageant in Tonga". American Ethnologist. 29 (3): 534–566. doi:10.1525/ae.2002.29.3.534.
Besnier, Niko (2003). "Crossing Genders, Mixing Languages: The Linguistic Construction of Transgenderism in Tonga". In Holmes, Janet; Meyerhoff, Miriam (eds.). The Handbook of Language and Gender(PDF). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. pp. 279–301.
Farran, Sue (2004). "Transsexuals, Fa'afafine, fakaleitī and Marriage Law in the Pacific: Considerations for the Future". Journal of the Polynesian Society. 113 (2). Auckland: 119–142.
Besnier, Niko (2004). "The Social Production of Abjection: Desire and Silencing Among Transgender Tongans". Social Anthropology. 12 (3): 301–323. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8676.2004.tb00110.x.
External linksedit
January 01, 1970
fakaleitī, fakaleitī, leiti, fakafefine, lady, tongan, individual, assigned, male, birth, feminine, gender, expression, term, fakaleitī, made, prefix, faka, manner, borrowing, lady, from, english, themselves, prefer, call, themselves, leitī, ladies, although, . A fakaleiti or leiti or fakafefine or lady is a Tongan individual assigned male at birth who has a feminine gender expression The term fakaleiti is made up of the prefix faka in the manner of and the borrowing lady from English Fakaleitis themselves prefer to call themselves leiti or ladies Although leiti in Tonga do not necessarily associate with LGBT identities in the Western world those who grow up in Tongan migrant communities in New Zealand Australia and the United States may find a greater level of community and affinity to similar identities than leiti in the island kingdom Leiti or fakafefine are similar to Samoan fa afafine and Hawaiian mahu The Tonga Leitis Association organizes the Miss Galaxy Pageant in Tonga They have also been involved in reforming colonially influenced laws about leiti life that remain in Tonga In 2018 a documentary film Leitis in Waiting was made about leiti leader Joey Mataele and the efforts of the Tonga Leitis Association 1 Mataele also works with the Pacific Equality Project a non profit group advocating for the decriminalization of LGBT peoples from post colonial laws in the Pacific Islands 2 Contents 1 See also 2 References 3 Bibliography 4 External linksSee also editList of transgender related topicsReferences edit Pacific News Minute Tonga s Leitis We Cannot Be Silent Anymore The Talanoa Trans Pacific Equality Project Archived from the original on 2019 09 06 Retrieved 2018 08 09 Bibliography editJames Kerry E 1994 Effeminate Males and Changes in the Construction of Gender in Tonga Pacific Studies 17 2 39 69 Besnier Niko 1994 Polynesian Gender Liminality Through Time and Space In Herdt Gilbert ed Third Sex Third Gender Beyond Sexual Dimorphism in Culture and History New York Zone pp 285 328 ISBN 978 0 942299 82 3 Besnier Niko 1997 Sluts and Superwomen The Politics of Gender Liminality in Urban Tonga Ethnos 62 1 2 5 31 doi 10 1080 00141844 1997 9981542 Besnier Niko 2002 Transgenderism Locality and the Miss Galaxy Beauty Pageant in Tonga American Ethnologist 29 3 534 566 doi 10 1525 ae 2002 29 3 534 Besnier Niko 2003 Crossing Genders Mixing Languages The Linguistic Construction of Transgenderism in Tonga In Holmes Janet Meyerhoff Miriam eds The Handbook of Language and Gender PDF Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd pp 279 301 Farran Sue 2004 Transsexuals Fa afafine fakaleiti and Marriage Law in the Pacific Considerations for the Future Journal of the Polynesian Society 113 2 Auckland 119 142 Besnier Niko 2004 The Social Production of Abjection Desire and Silencing Among Transgender Tongans Social Anthropology 12 3 301 323 doi 10 1111 j 1469 8676 2004 tb00110 x External links editLike a Lady in Polynesia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fakaleiti amp oldid 1212621863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
