Palopa
| Classification | Gender identity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other terms | |||||
| Associated terms | Fakaleiti, Two-spirit, Trans woman, Akava'ine, Māhū | ||||
| Demographics | |||||
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| Part of a series on |
| Transgender topics |
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Palopa is a term used in Papua New Guinea and its diaspora to refer to people whose gender identity or sexuality does not conform to heteronormative standards, and who, in Western contexts, might identify as part of the LGBT+ community.[1][2][3][4]
Etymology
[edit]The term originates from Tok Pisin, a creole language spoken in the country, and is said to be a contraction of the name of the singer Jennifer Lopez used as a coded expression within the community.[5][6]
Origin
[edit]LGBTQ+ activist Clint Woolly has pointed out that many people in Papua New Guinea might perceive Western terms like “gay” or “lesbian” as stigmatizing, and has thus advocated for adopting culturally relevant terms like palopa.[5] This word offers an alternative without negative connotations, in a context where local expressions like geli-geli (“girlie-girlie”) or askan (“arse cunt”) are used pejoratively toward LGBT+ individuals.[1] In response to this environment, gay and transgender people in Port Moresby have begun to use palopa as an affirmative way to refer to themselves.[6][7][8]
The term not only allows for stronger cultural identification, but also contributes to the visibility of diverse gender and sexual identities from an Indigenous perspective. This phenomenon is part of a broader movement across the Pacific that wants to reclaim and legitimize traditional categories such as fa'afafine in Samoa or takataapui in Aotearoa (New Zealand).[7]
On a social level, people who identify as palopa often face various forms of discrimination and violence. In a 2011 study, 57% of transgender individuals interviewed—many of whom identified as palopa—had experienced physical violence, and 47% had experienced sexual violence. These percentages were even higher among those engaged in sex work. In many cases, the perpetrators were police officers.[9]
Organizations like the United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance have affirmed palopa identity as a legitimate expression of gender diversity that predates colonial influence.[10]
Additionally, there are other culturally specific expressions of gender within the country, such as the term kwolu-aatmwol, used by the Simbari people to describe a third gender identity. In some cases this same word is used to refer to intersex individuals.[8][11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Stewart, Christine (2014-12-02). Name, Shame and Blame: Criminalising Consensual Sex in Papua New Guinea. ANU Press. pp. xxi. ISBN 978-1-925021-22-6.
- ^ "Glossary of LGBTIQ+ Language". OutLine Aotearoa. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ Worth, Heather (2011-10-01). "Is the Myth of the Bisexual Infector Still a Myth? Reflections on HIV Risk and Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women". Journal of Bisexuality. 11 (4): 488–492. doi:10.1080/15299716.2011.620824. ISSN 1529-9716. S2CID 143515533.
- ^ Mayron, Sapeer (2022-02-14). "Landmark health survey of rainbow Pasifika launches". Stuff. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
- ^ a b Woolly, Clint (2016-10-28). "Reclaiming our rainbow cultural identities". Rainbow Papua New Guinea. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
- ^ a b Besnier, Niko; Alexeyeff, Kalissa (2014-12-31). Gender on the Edge: Transgender, Gay, and Other Pacific Islanders. University of Hawaii Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-0-8248-4019-8.
- ^ a b Stewart, Christine (2014-12-31). "On the Edge of Understanding: Non-Heteronormative Sexuality in Papua New Guinea". In Besnier, Niko (ed.). On the Edge of Understanding. University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 323–346. doi:10.21313/hawaii/9780824838829.003.0014. Archived from the original on 2024-06-11. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
- ^ a b rainbowpng (2016-10-28). "Reclaiming our rainbow cultural identities". Rainbow Papua New Guinea. Archived from the original on 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
- ^ "Human rights in Papua New Guinea: is this where we should be settling refugees?" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-06-29.
- ^ "Publicación de United Territories of Pacific Islanders Alliance - WA".
- ^ "El tercer género o queer: el biocentrismo". ANRed (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 2025-06-24. Retrieved 2025-06-24.