- Title: Meet Keyonce - a member of Samoa's "third gender" fa'afafine
- Date: 31st July 2019
- Summary: VARIOUS OF LEE HANG SEATED IN CHURCH SINGING AND FANNING HERSELF
- Embargoed: 14th August 2019 01:30
- Keywords: male Samoa female fa'afafine cultural Apia church gender
- Location: APIA / UTUALI'I, SAMOA
- City: APIA / UTUALI'I, SAMOA
- Country: Samoa
- Topics: Living / Lifestyle,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA002AQ3XHZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Keyonce Lee Hang and her mother, Rona Tauli Lee, stroll out the front door in their Sunday best, heading to the church across the road from their house.
Stoutly built Keyonce, who named herself after American singer Beyonce, was born genetically male and is a fa'afafine, which translates as "in the manner of a woman" in Samoan.
While fa'afifine are not defined as a third gender by law, they are widely accepted in Polynesian culture and have been a part of Samoan life for as long as anyone can remember, president of the Fa'afafine Association told Reuters. There are an estimated several thousand across Samoa's islands, but according to Lee Hang, they are largely misunderstood outside of the South Pacific.
"Western societies try to fit us under a box. They try to put us under gay, put us under trans, queer and all the concepts," says Lee Hang. "But, I think fa'afafine is our cultural identity."
When a boy is noticeably effeminate, he will likely be taught the traditional duties of Samoan women, which often means working within the house. Such individuals are often said to have the "fa'afafine spirit", although how they express their femininity depends on the person. But most fa'afafine interviewed by Reuters dismissed widely reported claims that they could be a role designated by families with many sons to substitute for a daughter.
"When I was young I see myself as a lady, a girl. I don't like sports. I don't do the outdoors. I play with dolls. I play with my mum's lipstick. Whenever my mum want to go to bingo, the only thing that makes me stay is to put on lipstick. So, when I have my lipstick on I will be happy the whole day and stay home and wait for my mum," says Lee Hang.
Most modern fa'afafine partner with men but the identity makes no claim about sexual orientation - only gender. Samoan law criminalises sex between men, and culturally, it isn't acceptable for a man to wear a woman's clothes, but the fa'afafine live beyond these boundaries.
"I see myself as a woman who's stuck in a different body. Not wrong body but a different body. That's how I feel. I see myself, with another male, but not female," says Lee Hang.
Miriama Seeti, a market store owner in Apia, the capital city, said it was great to have fa'afafine in the family as they take on culturally feminine roles but with a man's muscle. This included "carrying coconuts" and "cleaning everything inside the house", she said.
But despite general social acceptance, in deeply religious Samoa where family and church structures are strong, there are complexities because the church considers fa'afafine to be male and same-sex relationships are not endorsed. Nonetheless, they are welcomed into church and often take on leadership roles whether it be in the choir or activity planning.
Modern fa'afafine have won over large parts of the community for their hard work, especially in leading charitable causes and taking on caring roles, such as looking after the elderly - and Lee Hang, who works in the fisheries ministry, is no exception.
Following church, she prepares for the "to'ona'i" - a traditional Sunday lunch in Samoa, and feeds elderly, bed-ridden grandmother.
(Production: Jill Gralow, Masako Iijima) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: This clip's Audio includes copyrighted material. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing the audio contained in this clip.