[1] Fa'afafine are not assigned the role at birth, nor raised as girls due to a lack of daughters, as is often claimed in western media.

The Samoan slang word mala (devastation) is a less-common term for faʻafafine, originating in fundamentalist-influenced homophobia and transphobia.

[9] Queen Salamasina, holder of four paramount chief titles, ascended the throne in the 16th century through the shrewd maneuvering of the powerful female chieftains around her.

There is no restriction on the transfer of chiefly titles to women or fa'afafine, and there is a substantial list of past and present faʻafafine chiefs.

Nafanua, the female warrior and chief of Samoan early history, is often held up as an icon of faʻafafine and faʻatane.

[13] Traditionally, faʻafafine follow the training of the women's daily work in an aiga (Samoan family group).

One study showed only a minority of parents (20 per cent) tried to stop their faʻafafine children from engaging in feminine behaviour.

[18] The SFA, with fa'afafine lawyers Alex Suʻa and Phineas Hartson Matautia, have initiated legislative activity on issues of LGBT rights in Samoa.

Their efforts to repeal homophobic and transphobic laws implemented during the period of New Zealand colonial rule have met with partial success.