Leiti is short for the term fakaleiti, a term that describes a person who is born as a male, but who acts in a feminine way, just like a lady. Debate still flourishes over whether leitis are born female, or are nurtured to be that way.
But despite their integral part in Tongan culture leitis face innumerable struggles, particularly against discrimination which, they say, has been brought upon by the rise of outside influences.
