Kathmandu (Pahichan) April 5 – International Day for Men who are attracted to Transwomen (April 5) is a global day celebrating the sexuality of men who are attracted to transgender women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating this issue. This day has been established to provide awareness for men who have a sexual and emotional orientation towards transwomen.

It also aims to humanize trans-attracted men in the public eye and to help family members and friends of trans-attracted men to get a better understanding of what it means to be “trans-attracted. “  A large part of the reason why trans-attracted men are misunderstood is because transwomen are generally misunderstood, so we have to provide better understanding about transwomen as well. The mission of the day is to establish equal recognition, visibility, discrimination free society, and bias-less-ness towards men who are attracted to transwomen.

Since 2016, celebrated under various themes, the theme this year is Speak it out: This year is about being vocal that there is a sexual orientation called “trans-attracted”, there are straight men, and men with various sexual identification, being attracted to transwomen in different ways. This is a usually asked question, which are the men attracted to transwoman and the answers are what I am going to give you today.

A considerable part of the male population is attracted to transgender women, whose sexuality exist in diversity. Among them are men who are attracted to transwomen only. They tend to identify as “trans-attracted men” or “trans-oriented men”. The “straight” identifying men are men who are equally attracted to both biological female and transwomen, sometimes also identify as ‘gynesexual’; or the men who are attracted more to transwomen and less to biological females; then vice versa. Also many ‘bisexual’ identifying men are attracted to transwomen, while few gay identifying men also like transwomen who are not into hormones and feminine looks but crossdressers. We, as a society, have not created a space for men to openly express their desire to be with trans women. Instead, we stigmatize men who have this desire and a social pressure tell men to keep their attraction to trans women secret, to limit it to the internet, frame it as a passing fetish or transaction. This year focuses on speaking about the existence of this sexuality. ​

The background of establishment of a day starts from Facebook. Rukshana Kapali met up Troy Kennedy and Ken Dee on Facebook. She had already been administering a Facebook page called Transwoman and men who like transwomen and a Nepalese version of it. Through this page she got to know two other men, who were very proud of themselves as being attracted to transwomen and were proudly claiming it. Not only that they also had a secret group on Facebook where all such men meet. They also made Youtube videos on men who are attracted to transwomen. They terms “trans-attracted” and “trans-oriented” were used. Then an idea popped up in her mind, and she told them, “There are many days like LGBTI Day, Women’s Day and all, why don’t we have a day for you guys.” Two of the men were like, “Okay, we should.” The day does not simply mean a day. It enlightens the issue we mostly do not even talk about. Yes we have started talking about LGBTI, we have started talking about transwomen in specific and in many parts of the world, we have had many milestones in its field. But about men who are attracted to transwomen, we never seen people talking much. Moreover, people do not have idea that men who are “straight” are also attracted to transwomen. There is certain sort of identity crisis. Even there are so many men who are attracted to transwomen, but because they don’t know such things exist, they are worried and confused about their fantasies. They also found that having a certain day and at least circulating on social media also has impact, when social media is taking over and has taken over as information dissemination in parts of world.

Well, they had more discussion on what date to choose. They brainstormed much. But in the field of men who are attracted to transwomen, this is a new thing. Therefore, at least we agreed to choose a date when they started making videos called The Tea Spot, which was about Trans-attracted men. We put it April 5 as the day when Troy and Ken started Trans-Attracted men initiation in small scale in USA. They also started making Youtube videos of men who are attracted to transwomen, called the show Tea Pot. In 2016, three of them put a status on Facebook and posts and created an online event of Facebook.

Picture: Trell Brooklyn holding a play card on IDMT