: A slim lateral profile is highly favored among many transwomen in Thailand, with research showing a strong preference for a specific waist-to-hip ratio (0.65 to 0.70). This aesthetic is often tied to the "problematic thin-ideal," where many individuals strive for a BMI below 18.5 to achieve a more traditionally "feminine" look.
: Interestingly, while transfeminine youth often have higher median weights (56 kg) and heights (171 cm) than cisgender women, their median BMI (19.7) often remains in a similar "normal" to "underweight" range. Sociocultural Terminology and Identity skinny ladyboys
In Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, the kathoey identity is often associated with high standards of physical beauty that prioritize a slim, feminized silhouette. : A slim lateral profile is highly favored
The following research brief synthesizes current academic and sociological findings regarding "ladyboys" (typically kathoey in Thai context), with a specific focus on body image and the sociocultural significance of the "slim" or "skinny" aesthetic within this community. skinny ladyboys