Welcome to a new series of posts here at Jessica Who?, titled “Word of the Week”. In these short articles, from here on out published each Friday, I will explore the various labels and umbrella terms used to label us. By doing this, I hope to educate not only myself, but also anyone who may not be familiar with these terms. Feel free to add your own knowledge to each post by leaving a comment 
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The second label that we will be examining is: ladyboy.
Standard Definition
Ladyboy, in general, can mean a MTF (male to female) transgender person or a gay man who is overly effeminate. The term’s origins lie in Asia, specifically Thailand.
Derogatory?
I didn’t know that this term was so dispariging until Miss K (from Dragnet) graciously informed me that it was. According to her:
The term “Ladyboy” is really pretty derogatory and strictly speaking applies more to transgendered sex workers from Thailand.
What’s It Really Mean?
With Miss K’s help and a little bit of google searching I can see that in most cases Ladyboy is associated with pornography and sex work. Like shemale, it is one of Google’s top searches.
My Take
Before I really knew what it meant, I did in fact know the term Thai Ladyboy, but was clueless as to the damage and hurt it can cause someone. This says a lot because I have been well aware of my crossdressing tendencies for a while.
There seems to be a strong interest in the porn industry involving the clashing of terms –> lady + boy, she + male. The problem with these words is that they try to imply that you are not whole, but rather a type of mutt.
From television specials and blog articles I have gathered that in Thailand, MTF transgendered people aren’t usually ostracized as much as they are in the US. Although they can still be looked down upon, it seems that in Thailand gender identity is a bit more respected. Of course, I can be totally off base, I have no real experience with this. If I am wrong, please don’t hesitate to pick up the slack 
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Your Take
Have you anything to add? Please leave your take on this word in the comments section, I hope we can open up a dialogue and learn from each other while educating the masses.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
> The term’s origins lie in Asia, specifically Thailand.
More specifically, I think the origins lie in the West’s *objectification* of MTF transsexuals in Thailand.
It’s not a Thai term per se, but a titillating Western label for Thai transsexuals or Katois (or Kathoeys).
Thanks for the info Miss K
, I appreciate it