Fakaleitī
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Fakaleitī are individuals in Tonga who are assigned male at birth but express a feminine gender identity. The term is derived from the Tongan prefix faka- ("in the manner of") and leitī, a borrowing from the English word lady, thus meaning "in the manner of a lady".[1] Fakaleitī represent a diverse group with varying gender identities and sexual orientations, often adopting feminine dress and mannerisms influenced by Western styles. While they may be marginalized or face discrimination, especially in youth, fakaleitī are generally accepted within extended families and have become visible in areas such as entertainment, tourism, and community work.
Gender expression
[edit]Fakaleitī constitute a heterogeneous group with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations,[2] though many identify as androphilic (attracted to men).[3] Some identify psychologically and socially as women, while others consider themselves to occupy a gender position outside the male-female binary.[3] Their gender expression often includes feminine clothing, hairstyles, and makeup, typically influenced by Western or cosmopolitan styles rather than traditional Tongan dress. However, presentation may vary depending on context, with some fakaleitī adopting masculine attire in daily life and more feminine styles during social events.[1]
The classification of fakaleitī does not align neatly with Western categories such as male, female, homosexual, transgender, or non-binary. In Tonga, the term has traditionally focused more on gender roles and behavior than on sexual identity. Fakaleitī may or may not experience gender dysphoria, and surgical transition is not universally pursued, as gender identity is often grounded in social roles rather than anatomical sex.[3]
Social status
[edit]Fakaleitī occupy a complex social position in Tongan society. While they are often marginalized and subject to discrimination or violence—especially in youth—they are generally accepted within family structures, which are foundational in Polynesian cultures.[1] Some fakaleitī are vulnerable to sexual slavery, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.[3]
Despite societal ambivalence, fakaleitī often find employment in sectors associated with tourism, hospitality, and entertainment.[3] Their involvement in activities perceived as modern or foreign, such as nightlife and non-marital relationships, has contributed to their association with social change and transnational influences.[1] Within religious contexts, particularly the Christian churches central to Tongan society, fakaleitī may be accepted through their financial and social contributions, even as their gender and sexuality remain contested.[3]
Activism
[edit]The Tonga Leitis' Association organizes the Miss Galaxy Pageant in Tonga. They have also been involved in reforming colonially influenced laws about leitī life that remain in Tonga. In 2018 a documentary film, Leitis in Waiting, was made about leitī leader Joey Joleen Mataele and the efforts of the Tonga Leitis' Association.[4] Mataele also works with the Pacific Equality Project, a non-profit group advocating for the decriminalization of LGBTQ peoples from post-colonial laws in the Pacific Islands.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Good, Mary K. (31 December 2017), Besnier, Niko; Alexeyeff, Kalissa (eds.), "Chapter 10: The Fokisi and the Fakaleitī Provocative Performances in Tonga", Gender on the Edge, University of Hawaii Press, pp. 213–240, doi:10.1515/9780824840198-010, ISBN 978-0-8248-4019-8, retrieved 27 June 2025
- ^ Besnier, Niko (20 July 2010). "Sluts and superwomen: The politics of gender liminality in urban Tonga". Ethnos. 62 (1–2): 5–31. doi:10.1080/00141844.1997.9981542. ISSN 0014-1844.
- ^ a b c d e f Farran, Sue (28 April 2010). "Pacific Perspectives: Fa'afafine and Fakaleiti in Samoa and Tonga: People Between Worlds". Liverpool Law Review. 31 (1): 13–28. doi:10.1007/s10991-010-9070-0. ISSN 0144-932X.
- ^ Conan, Neal (24 May 2018). "Pacific News Minute: Tonga's Leitis "We Cannot Be Silent Anymore."". Hawai'i Public Radio. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ "The Talanoa Trans Pacific Equality Project."". Archived from the original on 6 September 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
Further reading
[edit]- James, Kerry E. (1994). "Effeminate Males and Changes in the Construction of Gender in Tonga". Pacific Studies. 17 (2): 39–69.
- Besnier, Niko (1994). "Polynesian Gender Liminality Through Time and Space". In Herdt, Gilbert (ed.). Third Sex, Third Gender: Beyond Sexual Dimorphism in Culture and History. New York: Zone. pp. 285–328. ISBN 978-0-942299-82-3.
- Besnier, Niko (2002). "Transgenderism, Locality, and the Miss Galaxy Beauty Pageant in Tonga". American Ethnologist. 29 (3): 534–566. doi:10.1525/ae.2002.29.3.534.
- Besnier, Niko (2003). "Crossing Genders, Mixing Languages: The Linguistic Construction of Transgenderism in Tonga". In Holmes, Janet; Meyerhoff, Miriam (eds.). The Handbook of Language and Gender (PDF). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. pp. 279–301.
- Farran, Sue (2004). "Transsexuals, Fa'afafine, fakaleitī and Marriage Law in the Pacific: Considerations for the Future". Journal of the Polynesian Society. 113 (2). Auckland: 119–142.
- Besnier, Niko (2004). "The Social Production of Abjection: Desire and Silencing Among Transgender Tongans". Social Anthropology. 12 (3): 301–323. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8676.2004.tb00110.x.