Maya Chew

The LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia is often portrayed negatively given the political exertion for conformity to cisheteronormativity, i.e. subscription to traditional gender norms where sex, sexuality, and gender identities are perceived to be immutable. As a result, persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially trans women, is rampant and often sensationalised in the media. Trans women are among the most stigmatised because of their high visibility and for many of them who do not have the resources to assimilate with society (i.e. access to trans healthcare, income, shelter, and legal aid), they suffer in silence. The research will explore the colonial epistemologies of gender and ageing, as well as lived experiences of these women by looking at the extent of their access to resources throughout their lives in a hostile sociopolitical climate.