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Buddhism was initiated by Siddharta Gautama in about 500 BC. The Buddhist bible or canon is called the Tippitaka, a 45 volume set written by his disciples after his death in the 1st century (much like the Bible's gospels were written 100 years or so after Jesus' death).
The Tippitaka recognizes at least 3 sexes. Male, female, and 2 others, the Pandaka and Ubhatobyanjanka. There are different definitions of these, but there is somewhat of a concensus that at least one of these is kathoey.
What this means is that the Buddhist canon recognies Ladyboys as a valid and accepted sex, and thus the occasional reference to kathoeys in Thai literature and the thai lanague (phet thi saam), as the Third Sex.
Indeed, Gautama's first cousin and attendant, Ananda, was presumed to be a kathoey.
Some also say you will be born a kathoey if you have done bad deeds. So you should never put down a kathoey because you may become one in a future life, or you may have been one in a past life.
Of the gazillion theories of why there are lots of LBs in Thailand, this is one of them, i.e., the canon says they are ok and part of normal humanity, and therefore they don't have to go underground as in other cultures.
The Tippitaka recognizes at least 3 sexes. Male, female, and 2 others, the Pandaka and Ubhatobyanjanka. There are different definitions of these, but there is somewhat of a concensus that at least one of these is kathoey.
What this means is that the Buddhist canon recognies Ladyboys as a valid and accepted sex, and thus the occasional reference to kathoeys in Thai literature and the thai lanague (phet thi saam), as the Third Sex.
Indeed, Gautama's first cousin and attendant, Ananda, was presumed to be a kathoey.
Some also say you will be born a kathoey if you have done bad deeds. So you should never put down a kathoey because you may become one in a future life, or you may have been one in a past life.
Of the gazillion theories of why there are lots of LBs in Thailand, this is one of them, i.e., the canon says they are ok and part of normal humanity, and therefore they don't have to go underground as in other cultures.
After wading through the rubbish I did come up with these two links:-
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