What is a ladyboy? Asian transgender & transsexual

In short, the meaning of ladyboy is equal to transsexual or transgender woman male to female from Asia. For definition, is used to address all the exotic trans women of orient. Whereas transex is used to address westerner t-girls.

What is a ladyboy also intends a male who is transitioning to become a woman, which is the scientific term to label a transsexual person. Depending from their own nationality, ladyboy can be also translated as Katoey in Thailand, which include also a person with effeminate manners.

On this note, Ladyboy is now the international noun given to Thai Kathoey in the past century by Americans soldiers located in the ex Siam region, the today’s Thailand.

Yet, not all Asian ladyboys, address themselves such. In recent years has become more popular the transgender label, which means, transcending the gender

Transgender is often used by ladyboys in Asia

For a short answer, the transgender meaning is simply a person who don’t feel to belong nor in Male or Female gender. I know it sounds a bit controversial, because many ladyboys are all the ways feminine and look like perfect pretty girls. If you travel in those countries where there is an high population of ladyboys, like Thailand and the Philippines, many lady boy address themselves as transgender.

That is how shown up in recent years the term: Third Sex or Third Gender

Learn more taking a look at this article about The Third Sex in Thailand

You could also look on Wikipedia for a more technical / scientific explanation, but I believe comparison and stories related teaches better lessons. A good case is the story of Leelah Alcorn for example.

For an extended explanation I recommend you to see the truth of what is a ladyboy, that you can read in this sub-category.