When I first arrived in Bangkok for a study abroad program last spring, my university-assigned “buddy,” Yeepoon, sat down with me to show me the ropes. This meeting led to another, as I kept seeking her advice, and soon we enjoyed weekly lunch dates. All week I would save up questions about the cultural oddities I couldn’t explain.
What’s the deal with the entire country’s seeming lack of toilet paper, or the ubiquity of plastic bags? How many chillies are too spicy for a Thai? Patiently, she would explain everything to me.
It was during one of these lunches that Yeepoon told me her university had a “Most Beautiful” and “Most Handsome” election for each grade level. She pointed to a small, fair girl in the cafeteria’s lunch line, whom she said had been deemed the sophomore class’s “Most Beautiful.” Then, as an afterthought, she noted that the girl was actually transgender, or a “ladyboy.”
Though I had been in Thailand for a few months, her reaction surprised me. Ladyboys are very common in Thailand, and because most Thais are petite, the transition from one sex to another — at least in terms of appearance — can be relatively easy. But what surprised me was the way Yeepoon said it, as a form of light, harmless gossip.
I was impressed. In the U.S., even low-profile deviance from social norms is a source of gossip, but a transgender person winning a university-wide beauty contest? It would be more than a strong source of gossip; here it would call publicity, maybe even ridicule.
Yeepoon didn’t think twice about it. There are some explanations, of course, for why Americans differ in their perception of and reaction to social deviance.
Societal norms are divided into a few types. The first is the simple, everyday norm based on tradition and custom, like drinking orange juice straight out of the container. Violating this type doesn’t cause more than a raised eyebrow.
Another type is more serious, and is based on a widely shared societal norm, often stemming from religious beliefs. When this type is broken in the U.S., as when a teen gets pregnant or a male believes he is really a female, there is more serious condemnation. This sort of deviance is considered a threat to the social fabric of society.
I won’t pretend that I’m an expert in Eastern religions, but some teachings of Buddhism, the predominant religion in Thailand, teach that there are four genders. One of these is the equivalent of the modern transgender. This gives some explanation of the nonreaction from people like Yeepoon towards their transgender classmates. Because it is religiously acceptable, breaking the social norm of remaining the sex you were born doesn’t cause more than a few passing comments. But still, the underlying message she sent was that of acceptance, Buddhism aside.
We could learn from Thailand. Religious differences aside, there’s a lack of understanding in this country when it comes to differences. I see it everywhere at the University, from raised eyebrows at students who don’t drink to those who date interracially or inter-religiously. In fact, I recently caught myself wondering why a beautiful girl had cut her hair to just an inch long. I had to stop and ask myself, why the hell not?
Terrell is a finance senior.
One of those tranny oddities,
just your average transguy.
Oh, and I'm one of these so called 'freaks' that is likely more human that my narrow minded bigoted carbon based units that can't find the brain power to accept difference into their lives.
Alexandra Young (aka Alex T'girl). x