NEWS HOME ANIMAL NEWS ANCIENT WORLD ENVIRONMENT NEWS ... WEIRD NEWS Thai "Ladyboy" Kickboxer Is Gender-Bending Knockout Laura Greene
National Geographic On Assignment
March 25, 2004 Photo Gallery of Thai Kickboxer Nong Tum >> Laura Greene, host of National Geographic On Assignment, Email to a Friend Here Greene describes her time with Tum, and his transformation from a masculine boxer to a petit, pretty young woman. Tum's story is now the subject of the new movie Beautiful Boxer. I'm on my way to meet a celebrity who is a gender-bending knockout. Here in Thailand, Nong Tum is a household name. Meeting a star is a little nerve wracking at the best of times. But today I have extra reason to worry. I've come to a traditional Thai boxing camp on the outskirts of Bangkok to find out what makes this particular celebrity so special. From the road I negotiate my way on foot through modest lean-tos and women preparing lunch on an outdoor burner. Suddenly among the swinging punch bags emerges a slender, pretty young woman. Nong Tum's sheer femininity is striking against such a masculine setting. Everything about her is delicate: her smile, her gentle manner, and her soft voice. This would be remarkable enough in itself when you consider the violent nature of this most macho of sports. It's all the more stunning, though, when you consider that Nong Tum used to be a man. | |
|
