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Fa'afafine: Difference between revisions
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→Role in Samoan society
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Fa'afafine are known for their hard work and dedication to the family, in the Samoan tradition of ''tautua'' or service to family. Ideas of the family in Samoa and Polynesia are markedly different from Western constructions, and include all the members of a ''sa'', or communal family within the ''fa'amatai'' family systems.<ref>Saleimoa Vaai, Samoa Faa-matai and the Rule of Law (Apia: The National University of Samoa Le Papa-I-Galagala, 1999).</ref> | Fa'afafine are known for their hard work and dedication to the family, in the Samoan tradition of ''tautua'' or service to family. Ideas of the family in Samoa and Polynesia are markedly different from Western constructions, and include all the members of a ''sa'', or communal family within the ''fa'amatai'' family systems.<ref>Saleimoa Vaai, Samoa Faa-matai and the Rule of Law (Apia: The National University of Samoa Le Papa-I-Galagala, 1999).</ref> | ||
Fa'afafine, as a third gender, have sexual relationships almost exclusively with men who do not identify as fa'afafine, and sometimes with women, but apparently not with other fa'afafine.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.gendercentre.org.au/resources/polare-archive/archived-articles/like-a-lady-in-polynesia.htm |title=Like a Lady in Polynesia |work=Polare magazine |publisher=gendercentre.org.au |first=Roberta |last=Perkins |date=March 1994 |edition=3 | Fa'afafine, as a third gender, have sexual relationships almost exclusively with men who do not identify as fa'afafine, and sometimes with women, but apparently not with other fa'afafine.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.gendercentre.org.au/resources/polare-archive/archived-articles/like-a-lady-in-polynesia.htm |title=Like a Lady in Polynesia |work=Polare magazine |publisher=gendercentre.org.au |first=Roberta |last=Perkins |date=March 1994 |edition=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927132628/http://www.gendercentre.org.au/resources/polare-archive/archived-articles/like-a-lady-in-polynesia.htm |archive-date=2013-09-27 |df= }}</ref> This third gender is so well-accepted in Samoan culture that most Samoans state that they have friendship relationships with at least one fa'afafine; it is, however, not totally accepted in other communities, such as some Catholic groups and traditional leaders. Traditionally, fa'afafine follow the training of the women's daily work in an ''Aiga'' (Samoan family group).<ref name=bartlett/><ref>Danielsson, B., T. Danielsson, and R. Pierson. 1978. Polynesia's third sex: The gay life starts in the kitchen. Pacific Islands Monthly 49:10–13.</ref> | ||
Fa'afafine state that they "loved" engaging in feminine activities as children, such as playing with female peers, playing female characters during role play, dressing up in female clothes, and playing with female gender-typical toys. This is in contrast to women who stated that they merely "liked" engaging in those activities as children. Some fa'afafine recall believing they were girls in childhood, but knew better as adults. In Samoa, there is very seldom ridicule or displeasure towards a biologically male child who states that they are a girl. For instance, one study showed only a minority of parents (20 per cent) tried to stop their fa'afafine children from engaging in feminine behavior. Being pushed into the male gender role is upsetting to many fa'afafine. A significant number stated that they "hated" masculine play, such as rough games and sports, even more than females did as children.<ref name=bartlett/> | Fa'afafine state that they "loved" engaging in feminine activities as children, such as playing with female peers, playing female characters during role play, dressing up in female clothes, and playing with female gender-typical toys. This is in contrast to women who stated that they merely "liked" engaging in those activities as children. Some fa'afafine recall believing they were girls in childhood, but knew better as adults. In Samoa, there is very seldom ridicule or displeasure towards a biologically male child who states that they are a girl. For instance, one study showed only a minority of parents (20 per cent) tried to stop their fa'afafine children from engaging in feminine behavior. Being pushed into the male gender role is upsetting to many fa'afafine. A significant number stated that they "hated" masculine play, such as rough games and sports, even more than females did as children.<ref name=bartlett/> | ||
==Society of Fa'afafine in American Samoa and Samoa Fa'afafine Association== | ==Society of Fa'afafine in American Samoa and Samoa Fa'afafine Association== | ||
The Society of Fa'afafine in American Samoa or "Le Sosaiete o Fa’afafine i Amerika Samoa" (S.O.F.I.A.S) is an organization designed to foster collaboration between the fa'afafine and the LGBTQI+ communities in both American Samoa, the Asia Pacific region, and the world.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Shevon Kaio Matai passes away|url = http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/shevon-kaio-matai-passes-away|website = Samoa News|access-date = 2015-06-06 | The Society of Fa'afafine in American Samoa or "Le Sosaiete o Fa’afafine i Amerika Samoa" (S.O.F.I.A.S) is an organization designed to foster collaboration between the fa'afafine and the LGBTQI+ communities in both American Samoa, the Asia Pacific region, and the world.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Shevon Kaio Matai passes away|url = http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/shevon-kaio-matai-passes-away|website = Samoa News|access-date = 2015-06-06|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150530072617/http://www.samoanews.com/content/en/shevon-kaio-matai-passes-away|archive-date = 2015-05-30|df = }}</ref> SOFIAS describes itself as an organization dedicated to balancing both Samoan values with western influences and aims to promote a positive attitude toward the Samoan fa'afafine community. Now known as ''Miss SOFIAS'', the Miss Island Queen Pageant has been held in Pago Pago, American Samoa, since 1979. | ||
The Samoan Faafafine Association Incorporated (S.F.A.) of independent Samoa, based in Apia, has been active for over a decade. It works closely with government, local churches, and youth organizations, supporting community projects for the faafafine community, but also for elders and youth in Samoa. SFA has been active on the international level working with the United Nations and Pacific regional NGO's, on behalf of the fa'afafine, transgender, and LGBT communities of the Pacific Islands. They also been active working with media developing a more equitable representation of fa'afafine by media.<ref>{{Cite web|title =Fa’afafine want fair and inclusive reporting|url =http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/31_03_2017/local/18512/Fa%E2%80%99afafine-want-fair-and-inclusive-reporting.htm|website = Samoa Observer}}</ref> | The Samoan Faafafine Association Incorporated (S.F.A.) of independent Samoa, based in Apia, has been active for over a decade. It works closely with government, local churches, and youth organizations, supporting community projects for the faafafine community, but also for elders and youth in Samoa. SFA has been active on the international level working with the United Nations and Pacific regional NGO's, on behalf of the fa'afafine, transgender, and LGBT communities of the Pacific Islands. They also been active working with media developing a more equitable representation of fa'afafine by media.<ref>{{Cite web|title =Fa’afafine want fair and inclusive reporting|url =http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/31_03_2017/local/18512/Fa%E2%80%99afafine-want-fair-and-inclusive-reporting.htm|website = Samoa Observer}}</ref> | ||
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* ''half-man half-girl'', an unnamed character in Albert Wendt's novel ''Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree'' (1979). | * ''half-man half-girl'', an unnamed character in Albert Wendt's novel ''Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree'' (1979). | ||
* ''Sugar Shirley'', a character in Sia Figiel's novel ''Where We Once Belonged'' (1996).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Yamamoto|first=Traise|date=2000-10-01|title=Where We Once Belonged (review)|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/14610|journal=Journal of Asian American Studies|language=en|volume=3|issue=3|pages=384–386|doi=10.1353/jaas.2000.0042|issn=1096-8598}}</ref> | * ''Sugar Shirley'', a character in Sia Figiel's novel ''Where We Once Belonged'' (1996).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Yamamoto|first=Traise|date=2000-10-01|title=Where We Once Belonged (review)|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/14610|journal=Journal of Asian American Studies|language=en|volume=3|issue=3|pages=384–386|doi=10.1353/jaas.2000.0042|issn=1096-8598}}</ref> | ||
* ''Vili Atafa'', a character in the ''Pasifika'' play ''A Frigate Bird Sings'' (1996) by Oscar Kightley, David Fane and Nathaniel Lees<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playmarket.org.nz/a_frigate_bird_sings |title=''A Frigate Bird Sings'' |access-date=2014-04-13 | * ''Vili Atafa'', a character in the ''Pasifika'' play ''A Frigate Bird Sings'' (1996) by Oscar Kightley, David Fane and Nathaniel Lees<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.playmarket.org.nz/a_frigate_bird_sings |title=''A Frigate Bird Sings'' |access-date=2014-04-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145005/http://www.playmarket.org.nz/a_frigate_bird_sings |archive-date=2014-04-13 |df= }}</ref> | ||
* ''Sinalela'' (2001), a fictional character in the short film ''Sinalela'' by Dan Taulapapa McMullin, awarded Best Short Film in the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.freewaves.org/video/sinalela|title=Sinalela | Freewaves Video Archive|website=archive.freewaves.org}}</ref> | * ''Sinalela'' (2001), a fictional character in the short film ''Sinalela'' by Dan Taulapapa McMullin, awarded Best Short Film in the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.freewaves.org/video/sinalela|title=Sinalela | Freewaves Video Archive|website=archive.freewaves.org}}</ref> | ||
* ''Jerry the Faafafine'' (2011), a thematic figure (influenced by the poetry of Taulapapa) in an artwork series by Tanu Gago.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pimpiknows.com/tag/jerry-the-faafafine/|title=Jerry The Fa’afafine | PIMPI KNOWS}}</ref> | * ''Jerry the Faafafine'' (2011), a thematic figure (influenced by the poetry of Taulapapa) in an artwork series by Tanu Gago.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pimpiknows.com/tag/jerry-the-faafafine/|title=Jerry The Fa’afafine | PIMPI KNOWS}}</ref> | ||