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Why is Thailand the world leader in ladyboys ?
245 sats \ 8 comments \ @stack_harder 8h AskSN
I was in Thailand some years back doing a bit of Muay Thai, and my friend said jokingly, 'if you're a man in Thailand, your job options are either to become a thiboxer, or a ladyboy.'
And recently, I was thinking about that and the economics of the whole thing.
We have culture wars over trans stuff in the west sure, personally I'm not that distracted by it, I don't mind what someone does with their body, but Thailand has been the king (queen?) of the ladybody scene since, seemingly forever.
And it does make you wonder, why? Could it be that there is a financial incentive to actually become a LB? lord knows the place is a magnet for retrobates from all over the globe.
What do you think? Could it just be a weird circular effect of supply and demand where becoming a LB hooker is just another way to make more money than working a low-paid factory job or something?
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114 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined 8h
One must imagine they have a comparative advantage in it for some reason, but what that reason could possibly be is a mystery to me.
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49 sats \ 2 replies \ @stack_harder OP 8h
it's a chicken and egg thing maybe, because there's a well-established market for it now, but I'm pretty sure in the 80s there wasn't (or was there? or maybe without the hormones it didn't work so well)
or maybe it is like a prostitution adjacent thing.
then again, there are lots of countries with hyperinflation and poverty and no LBs (maybe it's because of the religion in those countries,)
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32 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined 8h
It could have developed somewhat organically. Let's say Thailand had looser social norms and law enforcement around sex work, plus being a tropical paradise, and that led to it becoming a popular tourism destination for degenerates. As that reputation built and became a bigger part of the economy, local institutions would lean into it and they'd expand into more niche parts of the industry. Deeper markets can have more specialization.
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41 sats \ 0 replies \ @stack_harder OP 8h
An interesting lesson in the organic formation of supply and demand. the loose social norms could be attributed to Buddhism, perhaps and the lack of judgment around sexual acts etc.
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64 sats \ 0 replies \ @rootmachine 7h
Well yeah... it’s actually a mix of culture, religion, and economics. Buddhism’s chill attitude toward gender helps, plus ladyboys have been part of Thai culture for ages — not just a recent thing. Add in sex tourism and the fact that it can pay more than other jobs, and it kind of became its own ecosystem. Not all glam, but def more accepted there than most places.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @guerratotal 5h
It’s actually a mix of deep cultural, historical, and economic factors. Unlike in many Western countries, Thai culture traditionally holds a more tolerant view towards gender variance. The concept of kathoey (commonly translated as ladyboy) has existed for centuries — long before modern debates about gender identity in the West.
But yes, there’s also a big economic driver. In a country where certain jobs are poorly paid, working in entertainment, tourism, or nightlife — industries where being a ladyboy can be an asset — often offers significantly better income and financial independence.
Add to that the massive tourism economy (including sex tourism, like it or not) and the global demand for novelty and experiences, and it creates a supply-demand loop. But it’s not just about economics; it’s also about visibility. In Thailand, ladyboys are far more visible in mainstream society — on TV, in businesses, and on the streets — compared to most other countries.
So yeah, it’s a feedback loop of cultural acceptance, visibility, economic opportunity, and global tourism dynamics.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BlokchainB 6h
Sometimes ladies just want to be boys
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Riberet 7h
I believe that prostitution has been thriving there for a long time; I suppose it is another branch of that market for the more 'exquisite' customers.
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