Here is the only thing that gets me excited about the World Cup! GENDERFUCKING!! I wrote profile on Jayiah Saelua, the first transgender player to compete in a World Cup qualifier. Even though she would prefer that you called her something else:
Fa’afafine, which translates to “in the manner of a woman,” is American Samoa’s recognized and embraced third gender. Fa’afafine are Polynesians who are born biologically male but dress and live essentially like women. They take male lovers, wear makeup, and wrap their bodies in dresses, but they do not consider themselves women.
“In my culture, we believe there are two spirits inside every person,” Saelua says, “one masculine and one feminine. A fa’afafine is more in touch with the feminine spirit, but we still have a male spirit inside us.” According to Saelua, the fa’afafine of American Samoa aren’t trans, cross-dressers, or drag queens—they’re not even queer. “There’s no such thing as gay on the island,” Saelua says.
He’s beautiful. And probably freaking really good at what he does.