Transgendered Women of the Philippines

ABSTRACT

A convenience sample of 147 transgendered females (i.e., male-to-female (MtF) transgenders, or transwomen, transgendered members of a community often called bakla in the Philippines) was studied. Participants (mean 23.6 years) completed a questionnaire covering, inter alia, demographics, transition histories, sexual preferences, sexual and gender identities, experience of social attitudes towards transgenderism, as well as beliefs about the origins of their own transgenderism.

Despite a level of education that was high in relation to the national average, the level of unemployment in our sample was comparatively high. Participants' family backgrounds revealed a significantly higher frequency of older sisters than younger ones.

Participants differed in the ways in which they self-identified, but overwhelmingly reported early feelings of gender incongruity (i.e., in early or middle childhood) and initial transition in adolescence. Though most were at the time of the study using hormones, surgery was relatively uncommon, and sex reassignment surgery rare. While none of the participants aspired to a male identity, many anticipated that they would nevertheless be presenting as male later in their lives. An overwhelming majority reported a sexual attraction to men, the vast majority of these exclusively so.

Participants commonly reported that Filipino society was unfavourably disposed towards the transgendered. Many reported rejection by their parents, though this was more common (a) by fathers, and (b) when they had earlier begun to transition.

Participants most commonly cited inborn biology or God's Will as a factor underlying their own transgenderism. Very few cited social influences.

KEYWORDS:

• Philippines
• demographics
• transition
• identity
• sexuality
• origins
• attitudes