Beautiful Boxer

Just one shallow remark. It's hard to comprehend that such gentle female soul can coexist with such beautiful abs. That alone is a compelling reason to watch this movie.

Back in 2004, I gathered all my courage to go watch the cinema by myself  for the very first time (none of my friends would watch this movie with me) – a very daunting social experience for a highschooler. It was worth it. Six years later, a few days ago to be exact, SBS2 aired this movie, and I was reminded why it holds such a dear place in my heart, and I fell in love all over again.

I don’t know too much about Thailand, and I’ve only watched very few Thai movies. But one of the things (or stereotypes?) they’re famous for is the Lady Boys. A bit of mixed feelings here… but they’re always intriguing. Beautiful Boxer is about one of them.

It was a pretty simple story, but a remarkable one – and based on a true story, no less. Ever since Parinya Charoenphol, or Nong Toom could remember, she had always felt that she’s born in the wrong body of a boy. Quietly she would put on make-up, and dress up in girls’ clothes, and dream about being a true woman. Inadvertently she discovered her talent for kickboxing, and that became the only way to earn money for her family and perhaps… a sex change operation. A hard road, since it’s the most masculine sport ever – and she hated fights and violence.

It’s journey of self discovery as she learnt to appreciate Muay Thai – that it’s not simply a money-making tool but an art, commitment and dedication, and most importantly the courage to accept who she is and to become her own person. And indeed she got bolder and bolder – started to wear make-up on the ring, elaborate feminine accessories, and a shirt to cover her upper half, perform feminine moves for the ritual dance before matches, and kiss her defeated opponents as a way of saying sorry. How outrageous. This Lady Boy Boxer became an overnight sensation, reaching celebrity status, which undoubtedly made the media go crazy for a new animal circus, and led to cynical accusations of it all being a gimmick for personal gain and fame.