List of Terms Related to Queer People, Queer Cultures, Or the LGBT Movement in Myanmar

List of Terms Related to Queer People, Queer Cultures, or the LGBT Movement in Myanmar When using particular English words to refer to queer people, queer cultures, or the LGBT movement in Myanmar, queer Burmese often have meanings spe- cific to their context that diverge from the English words’ original meanings in places such as the United States. I use italics when the English loan words refer to distinctive meanings that Burmese queer people have in mind. For example, where the text refers to “gay” with and without italics, there are differences in the meanings. achauk Regarded by Burmese LGBT activists as a derogatory reference to apwint, the word literally refers to something dry and is commonly thought to connote the physical quality of having anal sex with somebody identified as such. apone “Hider,” somebody who was assigned male at birth, identifies to some degree as feminine, and is attracted to men but appears and acts masculine. apwint “Open,” somebody who was assigned male at birth, identifies to some degree as feminine, is attracted to men, and appears and acts feminine.1 baw pyar Literally “flat balls,” a derogatory reference to tomboys. gandu Regarded as a derogatory word for apwint.2 gay Somebody who identifies as male and is attracted to men, most likely those who identify as homo or gay. Some apwint and apone, however, also refer to themselves alternatively as gay. homo Somebody who identifies as male and is attracted to men, most likely those who identify as homo or gay; the word, however, is often used to refer to apone as well. xvi List of Terms IDAHO International Day Against Homophobia, commemorated internationally on May 17 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by people who do not conform to sexual or gender norms in their society. In recent years, the name has been updated to IDAHOT and IDAHOTB to include references to transphobia and biphobia. ingahlan Apwint who reverse their sexual role in relation to tha nge and be- come the penetrative partner or “top.”3 lein tu chit thu Literally “those who love the same sex [or gender],” the term is often used interchangeably by LGBT activists to refer to “homosexual” or “L G BT.” lesbian Somebody who was assigned female at birth and is attracted to lesbians or heterosexual, cisgender women. LGBT activists often use this term to include tomboys and trans men.4 lesbian Somebody who identifies as female and is attracted to or in a relation- ship with a lesbian. meinmashar “Man acting as woman,” a term referring to apwint. Although some apwint regard the term as derogatory, others use it for self-identification. men who have sex with men (MSM) An umbrella term in Burmese public health parlance that includes apwint, apone, homo, gay men, ingahlan, tha nge, and offer. nat kadaw Spirit medium, or literally, “spirit wife.” This is a niche occupation associated with apwint; however, not all nat kadaw are apwint. I use the term to refer generally to those who engage in this occupation, although the term is supposed to be reserved for the highest ranked in the occupation.5 offer Sex worker who has sex with those who were assigned male at birth. Offer includes apwint, apone, tha nge, gay men, and homo. TDoR Transgender Day of Remembrance, commemorated internationally every year on November 20 to remember those who died as a result of transphobia violence. T.G. Short for transgender, an alternative self-reference for people who identify as apwint. List of Terms xvii tha nge “Guy,” a person who identifies as heterosexual and cisgender and is the sexual or romantic interest of apwint and apone.6 The LGBT movement does not regard tha nge as queer. tomboy Somebody who was assigned female at birth, identifies to some degree as masculine, is attracted to women, and appears and acts masculine. transgender Usually an alternative reference for those who identify as apwint or tomboy, though its stand-alone use (without being paired with “man” or “woman”) is more often assumed to refer to apwint. trans man Usually an alternative reference for those who identify as a tomboy. trans woman Usually an alternative reference for those who identify as apwint. UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, setting out human rights that are to be uni- versally protected. Burmese LGBT activists frequently refer to the UDHR in their human rights workshops and advocacy work. yaukkashar “Woman acting as man,” a term referring to tomboys. Although some tomboys regard the term to be derogatory, others use it for self-identification. Yogyakarta Principles The Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of In- ternational Human Rights Law in Relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, developed and adopted in 2006 by human rights experts. Burmese LGBT activists sometimes refer to the Yogyakarta Principles in their human rights workshops and advocacy work. This page intentionally left blank The Politics of Love in Myanmar This page intentionally left blank .

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