Fa'afafine and Fakaleiti

Literal Translation: "In the manner of/like a woman/women".

Fa'afafine are biological "males" of Samoa, who express feminine-typical behaviors and identities.

Fakaleiti is the Tongan term for the concept.

(Sears 2005: 592), (Schmidt 2016: 2)

As stated, the Fa'afafine and Fakaleiti are a form of gender identity/expression in which biological "males" will take on traditionally "feminine" roles, behaviors, and sexuality. While they typically use feminine pronouns, they identify as "fa'afafine/fakaleiti" and usually don't consider themselves "transgender" and/or "gay". Historically, their feminine identity is "most often enacted through labour, but fa'afafine subjectivities currently incorporate more and more western discourses of gender and sexuality" (Schmidt 2003). They will also engage in sexual and romantic relationships with cisgender men, but such relationships are considered "heterosexual", not "homosexual". In fact, the fa'fafine/fakaleiti live in areas where homosexuality is outlawed, and yet, due to how integrated they are in their society, they aren't considered part of this group and are not persecuted for this whatsoever.

The main role of a Fa'afafine individual is to take on housework that is typically completed by a female member of a household. Often times, Fa'afafines are also able to lift things and complete other tasks that involve physical strength, making them extremely valuable members of a household. Some Fa'afafine will still present themselves as male in all areas besides housework, while others choose to live as women. The latter category of Fa'afafine, who are relatively new to Samaon culture, wear makeup, jewelry, and feminine clothes (Croall, 1999).

Within the Polynesian island countries Samoa, and its neighbor Tonga, the people who identify as Fa'afafine and Fakaleiti are relatively common and a well-integrated part of society. According to BBC News, "about 1-5% of Samoa's 190,000-strong population identifies as fa'afafine" (Tan 2016).

However, while the fa'afafine and fakaleiti are a historically common part of Samoan and Tongan society, with the incoming of Christian missionaries in the 19th century came less acceptance of "non-traditional" (those not supported by Western Christian culture) gender and sexual identities. In the same BBC article, which talks about the annual Miss Fa'afafine pageant in Samoa, noted that "there [was] added weight to the contest this year, as the community feels their identity, traditionally accepted or tolerated in society, is coming under increasing pressure from religious conservatism in strongly Christian Samoa" (Tan 2016).

Videos

• Fa'afafine: Samoan Boys Raised As Girls (The Feed SBS)

• Miss Auckland Samoa Fa'afafine Pageant 2016 Full Show in HD (LTCR PRODUCTIONS LTD)

Articles

• Fa'afafine: In the Manner of a Woman, Triptych 2, Shigeyuki Kihara (The MET)

• 'Gender diversity - Fa’afafine', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (Johanna Schmidt)

• Miss Fa'afafine: Behind Samoa's 'third gender' beauty pageant (BBC)

Studies

• A Retrospective Study of Childhood Gender-Atypical Behavior in Samoan Fa’afafine (Nancy Bartlett)

• Paradise Lost? Social Change and Fa'afafine in Samoa (Johanna Schmidt)

Books

• Migrating Genders: Westernisation, Migration, and Samoan Fa'afafine (Johanna Schmidt)

• Theorizing Self in Samoa: Emotions, Genders, and Sexualities (Jeannette Marie Mageo)

Croall, Heather. 1999. Paradise Bent: Boys Will Be Girls in Samoa.

Sears, J. T. 2005. Youth, Education, and Sexualities: K-Z. United Kingdom: Greenwood Press.

Schmidt, Johanna. 2003. Paradise Lost? Social Change and Fa'afafine in Samoa. Sage Publications.

Schmidt, J. 2016. Migrating Genders: Westernisation, Migration, and Samoan Fa'afafine. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.

Tan, Yvette. 2016. Miss Fa'afafine: Behind Samoa's 'third gender' beauty pageant. United Kingdom: BBC News.