Samoa has a name for boys who prefer “feminine” clothing, games and roles: “fa’afafine”, meaning “in the manner of a woman”. Allotted traditionally female crafts and household duties, this “third gender” was revered for combining nurture with physical strength. In modern Samoa, there’s no stigma if your son is a fa’afafine: they are warmly accepted, even celebrated.
A fa’afafine, Jaiyah Saelua, was the first transgender footballer to play in a World Cup qualifying game. She was centre back for the American Samoan national team: the men’s team. Samoans understand that changing gender does not affect a person’s immutable biological sex.
Samoa enjoys few sporting glories but it excels at weightlifting. Feagaiga Stowers, just 20, a child sexual abuse survivor who started lifting while living in