Abstract
There are an estimated 10,000 mak nyahs, or male transsexuals, in Malaysia. They suffer considerable discrimination, not least in employment and housing. Moreover, in 1983, the Conference of Rulers decided that a fatwa prohibiting sex change operations should be imposed on all Muslims as it was against Islam. Cross-dressing was also prohibited. This paper first offers a profile of the mak nyahs in Malaysia – their self-perceptions, attitudes, and life experiences. It then considers the particular problems they face – for example in securing a sex change operation, in gaining access to appropriate medical interventions, in marriage and adoption, in securing changes in name and gender on legal documents, and in their relations with the police. The paper is based mainly on extensive interviews with a group of 29 mak nyahs.
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