CALIMAG, LANOT, PANES, REYES, & SAMBILAY

The Lived Experiences of Transpinay Sex Workers

Calimag, Christian Jieroh, Lanot, Rochelle C., Panes, Cleo Hana, Reyes, Micaela, Sambilay, Maria
Jheralyn

Rizal Technological University

ABSTRACT

This thesis paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences of
transpinay sex workers, specifically focusing on transpinays working in Metro Manila, who have
undergone at least two years of hormonal replacement therapy. Using a phenomenological
approach, this study highlights the untold narratives of these sex workers with the goal of bringing
attention to the challenges they face and advocating for their protection and rights. The study is
guided by three objectives, namely, understanding how the participants' experiences impact their
identities, exploring how they navigate safety within their work environment, and identifying the
support systems available to them. Through qualitative research, six themes were identified
regarding the first objective, exploring participants' initial work encounters, risk factors, morality,
client profiles, motivations for choosing this career, and self-acceptance. The second objective
identified four themes related to navigating safety, such as disease prevention, violence
prevention, discrimination, and establishing limits. Lastly, the third objective focused on the four
themes concerning the support systems available to transgender sex workers, including advocacy
for a more inclusive society, empowerment and support, client and peer relationships, and
relationships with healthcare providers. The study findings reveal critical insights into the lives of
transpinay sex workers, and the need for access to safe and non-exploitative work opportunities,
accompanied by support systems that address economic inequality and poverty.

Keywords: Transpinay, lived experiences, hormonal replacement therapy, sex work, support,
experiences, safety

Introduction 2015). They tend to choose of showing

Even since during the 1960s, openly
living as an LGBTQ or lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and queer person, in
almost all aspects was deliberately
prohibited. In an article by the Public
Broadcasting Service (2022), on the 28th day
of June year 1969, Marsha P. Johnson, a
black transgender, launched the Stonewall
Riots which marked a turning point in the
fight for LGBTQ+ civil rights. In the
Philippines, it is extremely hard to trace the
history of transpinay and queer people when
we look back in the last 500 years of history
(Alegre, 2022). The term ‘transpinay’ is a
contracted name for transgender pinay or
Filipino women.
Transgender or individuals whose
gender identity and expression do not
correspond to their gender role and social
role is one of the most vulnerable groups
(American Psychological Association,
themselves in ways that go against the social
standards of their gender that were assigned
to them at birth.As a result, a lot of
transgender people are having a hard time
finding jobs that won’t judge them for who
they are and what they feel. In a report, A
Broken Bargain for Transgender Workers, it
is revealed that the unemployment rate of
transgender workers is twice of the
population as a whole (Johnson, 2013).
Because of this, many transgender people
resort to being sex workers, or someone who
provides consensual services in exchange for
money or goods for a variety of reason
(Cruz, et. al., 2016).
However, despite the fact that they
finally found a job to take, their battles were
still far from over. Transgender sex workers
reported experiencing verbal abuse, physical
assault, and sexual harassment while also
facing barriers in accessing legal and social
support services due to their gender identity

and occupation (De Leon and colleagues,
2018). This only shows that transpinay sex
workers or, in general, transgender sex
workers are considered to be one of the most
marginalized and vulnerable groups in the
world as they continue to encounter
challenges when trying to get legal
recognition, access to jobs, healthcare, and
public accommodations in the country
(Abbas et al., 2021)From these views, the
researchers would like to have a deeper
understanding about the lived experiences of
transpinay sex workers in the Philippines and
share them to become an eye-opener to all
the members of the community. In this study,
there will be 5 transpinay sex workers who
are currently working within Metro Manila
and have undergone hormonal replacement
therapy for at least 2 years to investigate their
untold narratives and lived experiences as
sex workers through a phenomenological
approach.
This would address the ongoing
problems they face, bringing them to the
attention of advocates and activists to press
the government for their protection and
rights.There are three research objectives
formulated in order to fulfill this study. The
first objective is to assess what are the
participants and how do these experiences
impact their views of their identity, the
second one is about how the participants
navigate their safety within their sex-work
environment and lastly, the third objective
focuses on the type of support exists for these
participants and how are these built and
within the experience of the participants.
Using the phenomenological
approach, this study aimed to explore the
lived experiences of transgender individuals
who work as sex workers, with a focus on
transpinays currently working within Metro
Manila. The interview established a dialogue
with the participants, which enabled the
collection of detailed and coherent
information. This method facilitates the
acquisition of data related to the participants'
stories, experiences, feelings, and
knowledge regarding a specific subject
matter that is unique to each individual.
Methodology
This particular method emphasizes the
investigation of how individuals construct
their lives and the meanings they attribute to
their experiences (Cridland et al., 2014;
CALIMAG, LANOT, PANES, REYES, & SAMBILAY
Meadan, Stoner, & Angel, 2010). Van
Manen (1997) characterized this process as
reflective, entailing a deep contemplation of
the concrete ways in which phenomena are
experienced. One's lived experience is
regarded as a philosophical construct that
delimits meaning irrespective of personal
prejudices or biases (Vagle, 2014)
Participants and Sampling
In this study, snowball sampling was
used to select the target participants. The
target participants were a total of five (5)
Transpinay sex workers with the age of at
least 18 – 30 years old who engaged in sex
work within Metro Manila and were
willing and able to participate in an in-
depth interview upon being referred by the
initial participants. Since the study is
focusing on a specific type of participants
under a certain type of community, the
researchers have decided to use snowball
sampling in order to gather the data needed
for the fulfillment of the study and to easily
find the specific participants needed. This
sampling method involves the primary
data sources nominating another potential
primary data source to be used for the
study.
Research Instruments
In gathering the data for this study,
the researchers used a semi-structured
interview. As stated by Alison (2022), semi-
structured interview is a meeting where the
interviewer asks open-ended questions,
instead of following a strict and formalized
list of questions. The semi-structured
interview format encourages two-way
communication where both the interviewer
and the candidate can ask questions and
further the conversation. For it is an
investigation of opinions and experiences of
certain transpinay sex workers based on a
series of questions, this type of research
instrument was used in order to effectively
and efficiently collect the data needed. It also
provides a broad capability, which ensures
more accurate samples gathering targeted
results.
Data Gathering
The data gathering procedure for
this study followed a phenomenological
approach that aims to explore and describe
the lived experiences of a phenomenon from
the perspective of the participants. The
researchers used snowball sampling to select

the participants who met the following
criteria: (a.) they are transgender women
who engaged in sex work within Metro
Manila (b) they are at least 18 years old and
are willing and able to participate in an in-
depth interview. Before conducting the
interviews, the researchers searched for
potential participants using the snowball
sampling and obtained their informed
consents. Referral was also used to find and
recruit transpinay sex-workers who might be
interested in sharing their stories.
The researchers did not used social
media platforms to seek participants to avoid
any ethical violations of their privacy and
autonomy rights. Aside from referrals, the
researchers also went around Metro Manila
to find and recruit any transpinay sex
workers by asking them if they are qualified
from the criteria mentioned above. The
interviews were conducted in a private and
comfortable setting, either at the
participants’ homes or at any safe and
comforting place within Metro Manila.
The interviews lasted between 60
and 120 minutes and were audio-recorded
with the permission of the participants. The
researchers used a semi-structured interview
guide that consisted open-ended questions
that explored the participants’ experiences of
sex work, stigma, discrimination, violence,
identity, and well-being. Probing questions
were used by the researchers to elicit more
details and clarifications from the
participants. The researchers maintained a
reflexive journal throughout the data
gathering process to document their
observations, impressions, and reflections on
the interviews, and on a later time, the
interview verbatims were transcribed and
checked for accuracy.
The researchers then analyzed the
transcripts using thematic analysis,
following the steps proposed by Braun and
Clarke. The researchers familiarized
themselves with the data by reading and re-
reading the transcripts and noting down
initial codes, then generated initial themes by
grouping the codes into meaningful
categories. Moreover, the researchers then
reviewed the themes by checking them
against the data and refining them as needed.
The researchers then defined and named the
themes by identifying their essence and
scope.
Researchers will then write a report
CALIMAG, LANOT, PANES, REYES, & SAMBILAY
that presents the findings and illustrates them
with quotes from the participants. Lastly, the
researchers discussed the findings in relation
to the existing literature and the research
questions. The researchers also addressed the
trustworthiness of the study by using
strategies such as member checking, peer
debriefing, triangulation, and reflexivity.
Results
Lived experiences prioritize the
understanding of a person’s unique
perceptions, feelings, and interpretations,
and also aim to capture the depth and
richness of their reality. This approach
acknowledges that individuals possess
intimate knowledge about their own lives
and contexts and aims to give voice to their
experiences. (Tufford et al., 2020)
Upon carefully examining and
refining the data gathered by the researchers,
the final result of this study are collated into
each of the research objectives presented in
the introduction. As mentioned, the first
research objective covers the experiences of
the participants and how do these
experiences impact their views of their
identity. A final thematic map with six
themes was formulated which includes the
initial exposure, heightened risks, financial
benefits, financial issue, morality, positive
identity and client characteristics of the
participants based on their responses to each
of the questions proposed by the interviewer.
The initial exposure rounds up the
first work encounter of the participants from
their first clients down to how they end up
choosing to become a transpinay sex worker.
As part of their experience, the participants
also shared some common descriptions
about the types of clients that they usually
encounter often at their work. For the most
part, the participants usually have customers
of foreign descent but there are also local
patrons who avails their services.
Heightened risks gives emphasis to the
dangers and challenges that the participants
are facing in their day to day life as a sex
worker where either their customers, the
community or their co-sex workers served as
a contributing factor to those challenges.
The fourth theme focuses on the
financial issues which is the common ground
of reason for all of the participants involved

in this study. Due to lack of financial
support, these transpinay sex workers were
forced at a very young age to find a job that
can immediately fulfill their strong sense of
needs. Aside from the issues that they face,
these transpinay sex workers are also faced
with great contradictions against their
morality where they started questioning
themselves if they are still on the right track
and their self-worth as a person.
Yet, despite these negative aspects
of their lives, these transpinay sex workers
were still able to find positivity effects along
the way. The theme financial benefits refers
to the fruits of hard work and dedication that
the transpinay sex workers put into action
during their work. Lastly, the theme positive
identity encapsulates the idea of how these
transpinay sex workers were able to
eventually pave way to see themselves in a
different angle that led to a general
acceptance of themselves or their situation
and the reality that surrounds them.
Meanwhile, the second objective of
the study revolves around the participant’s
navigation of one’s safety within their sex
work environment. There are four themes
formulated under this objective with the first
one being disease prevention. This theme
captures the essence of the participants’
being protective in terms of their health and
their safety measures to prevent sexually
transmitted diseases and other dangers in
their work environment. To further care for
their health, the transpinay sex workers are
requiring their clients to wear protection
during intercourse such as condoms as well
as bringing protection against sexually
transmitted disease during their service.
Discrimination refers the theme as a
root of violence and brutality which presses
issue in our society. Transgender sex
workers often face prejudice, stigma, and
exclusion, which can have adverse effects on
their mental and physical well- being.
Discrimination can manifest in various
forms, such as denial of healthcare, lack of
legal protection, and social marginalization.
And this can fuel a cycle of violence and
brutality, perpetuating harm and division that
can lead to animosity and dehumanization.
The third theme security, is an
attempt to protect the lives of the participants
from their unpredictable clients. These
transpinay sex workers have taken the
CALIMAG, LANOT, PANES, REYES, & SAMBILAY
necessary precautions to secure their safety
such as the usage of self-defense devices
when working just as stated in the
heightened risks theme mentioned in the first
objective. The fourth and final theme of the
second objective highlights the importance
of establishing limits within their work
environment. The agreements that the
transpinay sex workers form with their
clients regarding the services provided play
a significant role in ensuring their safety and
minimizing the risk of violence.
For the final objective, the
researchers also managed to extract four
themes that explores the support exists for
transpinay sex workers and how it is built
and fostered within their experiences. The
first theme that emerged is empowerment
and support which generally explores how
transgender sex workers can come together
to form collectives and support groups to
advocate support groups to advocate for their
rights and access to healthcare services. It
could also examine how these groups can
help to reduce stigma and discrimination
against transgender sex workers. It also
examines various resources that are available
to transgender sex workers to help them
prevent HIV, AIDS, and STI. Additionally,
it also explores how these resources can be
made more accessible to transgender sex
workers, and how can they be used in
improving and maintaining their health.
Another theme that emerged under
this objective is achieving local support
which highlighted the support they received
from different social context. The theme
client relationship aims to foster healthy
relations with the participants’ clients, a very
important piece among sex workers in order
to establish enduring trust and connection
that helps the client more comfortable with
the sex worker. Lastly, the final theme peer
relationship focuses on building a supportive
community among co-workers which
involves creating an atmosphere of mutual
respect, understanding, and support. This can
be achieved through open communication,
empathy, and willingness to offer help and
guidance to one another.
On the other hand, respecting
boundaries and consent is also essential in
any professional setting, even in the sex
work industry. It's important for sex workers
to communicate and uphold personal
boundaries, and to always seek explicit

consent before engaging in any activities.
This requires clear and open communication
about individual preferences, comfort levels,
and boundaries. Creating a culture of respect
for boundaries and consent among
coworkers is paramount for ensuring a safe
and empowering work environment.
Discussion
Narrating an individual's existence is
an incredibly potent and meaningful act that
has great significance in many facets of
human life. It allows individuals to reclaim
their narratives, empowering them to define
and shape their own identities. By sharing
personal stories, individuals can break free
from societal expectations, stereotypes, and
biases that may have limited their self-
expression. Gender criticism is an extension
of feminist literary criticism, focusing not
just on women but on the construction of
gender and sexuality, especially LGBTQIA+
issues, which gives rise to queer theory.
Gender criticism suggests that power is not
just top down or patriarchal—a man
dominating a woman; it suggests that power
is multifaceted and never just in one
direction (Ryan C. 2012). By using this
critical approach, the researchers explored
how gender norms, stereotypes, and societal
expectations intersect with their experiences.
Transgender sex workers often face
unique challenges due to the intersection of
their gender identity and their occupation.
Gender criticism allows us to examine how
societal notions of gender can influence their
access to resources, healthcare, legal
protections, and social support. It helps the
researchers understand the ways in which
transgender sex workers navigate complex
power dynamics, discrimination, and stigma.
Gender criticism analyzes how societal
expectations around gender can impact their
mental health and well-being. It also sheds
light on the ways in which they may resist or
subvert traditional gender roles and norms
within their work. Furthermore, through
gender criticism the researchers explored the
structural inequalities that transgender sex
workers face. which explains the systems of
oppression, such as transphobia, sexism, and
economic marginalization, intersect to create
unique challenges for this population.
In summary, this study shed light on
the lived experiences of transgender sex
workers and has explored different themes
CALIMAG, LANOT, PANES, REYES, & SAMBILAY
such as their life routines, work experiences,
social stigma, discrimination, and violence
they encounter, as well as the impact of legal
frameworks and access to healthcare and
support services. The researchers have
arrived at the conclusion that by establishing
and integrating all of the said factors, we
have constructed life histories derived from
life practices of transgender people sex
workers. To summarize, the first objective of
this study was to know the experiences of the
participants and how do these experiences
impact their views of their identity.
This study showed the stories of five
(5) transpinay sex workers working in a
place within Metro Manila doing different
and “creative” tools in order to survive.
Some of the transpinay sex workers used a
traditional approach - going to the bars,
streets, and at any public places to get clients,
and some of them were using an online
approach, with the advent of technology, to
gain clients and have more money. They are
using a caring and empathetic way or
approach to persuade and attract more
clients. The researchers have revealed that
the primary reason the five transpinay sex
workers has entered this job was because of
financial struggles or economic necessity.
For the next objective, how the
participants navigate their safety within the
sex-work environment explains how sex
workers respond to violence, legal
restrictions, and discrimination amongst
people, where in the researchers have found
that sex workers used different self-defense
devices like pepper spray, electric shock, and
even pocket knives in order to intimidate and
resist violent or abusive clients and how
participants negotiate agreements with
clients and conduct background checks on
clients' personal information in order to
prevent misunderstandings and undesirable
interactions with customers.
The last objective what support exists
for the participants and how are these built
and fostered within the experience of the
participants emphasizes on how sex workers
protect each other's health from health risks,
share knowledge with clients to ensure safe
sex, and help each other be well-prepared
through providing free consultations to avoid
self-medication and increase self-awareness
to reduce health risks.
Furthermore, also discusses how to

ensure that clients are provided with clear
transactions prior to services, how to
determine what services to offer, and how
participants can provide the best possible
service to uphold positive client
relationships. preserving a positive working
relationship with co-sex workers through
active communication, such as exchanging
safety precaution knowledge and setting
barriers to avoid conflicts. and last,
preserving a positive rapport with your
healthcare practitioner through ongoing,
constructive engagement with community
organizations.
Through in-depth interviews and
analysis, it was found that the lived
experiences of transgender sex workers also
highlight the need for comprehensive
societal changes. By addressing the
structural barriers, they face and promoting
acceptance and support, we can strive
towards a more inclusive and equitable
society for all individuals, regardless of their
gender identity or occupation.
Overall, the researchers developed life
histories that were compiled through
particular narratives and life experiences
based on analyzing these themes. The life
stories reflect the environment of
transgender sex workers along with their
corresponding manifestations and discourse.
It is important to recognize that engaging in
sex work is often a complex decision
influenced by a range of factors, including
poverty. However, it is crucial to approach
this topic with empathy and without
judgment. Transgender individuals deserved
access to safe and non-exploitative work
opportunities, as well as support systems that
address the root causes of poverty and
economic inequality.
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