A ladyboy is a person born male who lives or presents as a woman. It's the English word for what Thais call kathoey. Her body varies: in the one sizeable Thai survey we found, most were on hormones and few had surgery. Wanting to date a ladyboy, or not, is a preference, and neither is wrong.
Published February 18, 2018 · Updated October 12, 2026
· 28 min read
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What is a ladyboy?What people really want to know about ladyboysIs a ladyboy a man or a woman?Do ladyboys get surgery?Why does Thailand have so many ladyboys?How many ladyboys are there in Thailand?Ladyboy culture in Thailand: what do Thai people think?How do Thai families react to a ladyboy?Ladyboy pageants and showsFamous ladyboys, films and documentariesHistory of ladyboys in ThailandCan a ladyboy have a baby or periods?Ladyboys and HIVWhat happens to older ladyboys?Ladyboys in the Philippines
A ladyboy is a person born male who lives or presents as a woman, mostly in Thailand and nearby. It’s the usual English for the Thai word kathoey, though kathoey covers more. Her body varies; in the best Thai survey we found, most hadn’t had surgery. Wanting to date a ladyboy, or not, is a preference, and neither is wrong.
What is a ladyboy?
A ladyboy is someone born male who lives or presents as a woman, in daily life and not just on stage. The word is used mostly