Parinya Charoenphol
 | Thisbiography of a living personincludes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(March 2015) |
Parinya Charoenphol | |
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ปริญญา เจริญผล | |
 Parinya Charoenphol at Fairtex Gym in Bangkok. | |
| Born | 9 June 1981 Chiang Mai,Thailand |
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| Occupations | |
Parinya Charoenphol(born 9 June 1981) (Thai:ปริญญา เจริญผล;RTGS:parinya charoenphon), nicknamedToom,[a]also known by the stage nameParinya Kiatbusaba[b]and thecolloquial nameNong ToomorNong Tum,[c]is a Thai boxer, formermuay Thai(Thai bo xing ) champion,modelandactress.She is akathoey,a Thai word referring to what is often considered a distinct gender in Thailand and elsewhere generally considered to be gender-nonconforming men or transgender women.[1][2]At the age of 18, she underwentsex reassignment surgery.[3]
Career and current projects
[edit]Her public life began in February 1998, with a victory inBangkok'sLumpini Bo xing Stadium,the centre of theMuay Thaiworld. The Thai media were intrigued by the novelty and incongruity of a makeup-wearing 16-year-oldkathoeydefeating and then kissing a larger, more muscular opponent.
Although the Thai government had previously blockedkathoeysfrom participating in the nationalvolleyballteam for fear of negative reaction from the rest of the world, the Muay Thai establishment embraced Nong Toom, and tourism officials promoted her as "indicative of the wonders to be found" in Thailand. Muay Thai had been in a several-year slump at the time, and Nong Toom had revitalised both media and public interest in the sport, as shown by increased ticket sales and stadium revenue.
She was profiled in several magazines, and appeared in many Thaimusic videos.Subsequently, her public profile began to fade, but her bouts with a foreigner, as well as her trip toJapanto fight a Japanese challenger, kept her in the news. By the autumn of 1998, there was little coverage of Nong Toom to be found in either the mainstream or bo xing media.
In 1999, Nong Toom caused considerable publicity by announcing her retirement from kick bo xing, her intention to become a singer, and her plan to undergosex reassignment surgery.She was initially turned down by some of the Bangkok surgeons she turned to, but was able to undergo sex reassignment surgery in 1999 atYanhee International Hospital.
On 26 February 2006, Nong Tum made her comeback as boxer. She fought an exhibition match for Fairtex Gym's newPattayabranch (re-dubbed Nong Toom Fairtex Gym) by fighting a 140-pound contest against Japan's Kenshiro Lookchaomaekhemthong. Nong Toom won by unanimous decision after the three-round fight, leaving her rival with a cut near his eye from an elbow in the last round.
Nong Toom was planning another exhibition bout for sometime in 2006 with a female boxerLucia Rijker,who portrayed the lethal "Blue Bear" in the filmMillion Dollar Baby.
In October 2007 Nong Toom had her first fight as a woman versusJorina Baarsin Arnhem, the Netherlands.[4]
On 31 May 2008 Nong Toom had a fight againstPernilla Johanssonat Rumble of the Kings inStockholm,Sweden,[5]and won by decision.
In 2010, Nong Toom opened a bo xing camp, Parinya Muay Thai, inPranburi,Thailand, which she owned and operated with American actor-writer Steven Khan.[6]
As of 2011, she was teaching Muay Thai and aerobics to children at the Baan Poo Yai School.[6]
Movie and other media appearances
[edit]Her story is related in the 2003 filmBeautiful Boxerin which she was portrayed by malekickboxerAsanee Suwan. The film won several national and international awards, yet opened to limited success in Thailand. The film's director,Ekachai Uekrongtham,also wrote the solo performanceBo xing Cabaretfor Nong Toom which she performed in the summer of 2005 at theSingapore Arts Festivaland later in Bangkok.
Nong Toom's life as a kathoey is also part of the bookLadyboys: The Secret World of Thailand's Third Genderby Maverick House Publishers.
Her story was also included in Julina Khusaini'sNational GeographicdocumentaryHidden Genders(2003).
She had a prominent role in the 2006superhero film-action filmMercury Man,playing the title character's transgender sibling and demonstrating her kickbo xing prowess on the villains. In 2006, she appeared as a guest star onSBStelevision seriesWorld Record PizzaandRallarsvinginSweden.
See also
[edit]- Patricio Manuel,the first publicly known transgender professional boxer in the United States
- Fallon Fox,the first publicly known transgendermixed martial artsathlete
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^Greene, Laura (28 October 2010)."Thai 'Ladyboy' Kickboxer Is Gender-Bending Knockout".National Geographic.Archived fromthe originalon 14 August 2011.Retrieved7 March2015.
- ^Muay Thai gym (24 July 2006)."The beautiful boxer".Bestmuaythai.Muay Thai Camp & Bo xing Training in Phuket, Thailand. Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2014.Retrieved7 March2015.
- ^King, Susan (14 February 2005)."A kickboxer's fight for sexual identity".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2023.Retrieved22 October2023.
- ^"Jorina Baars vs. Parinya Charoenphol, Battle Of Arnhem 6 | Muay Thai Bout".Tapology.Retrieved12 March2024.
- ^"Rumble of the Kings 2008".Muaythaitv(in French).Retrieved12 March2024.
- ^ab"About Us".Parinyamuaythai.Parinya Muay Thai. Archived fromthe originalon 15 July 2011.Retrieved7 March2015.
Sources
[edit]- Kahn, Joseph (4 April 1998)."Was That a Lady I Saw You Bo xing?".The New York Times.Retrieved7 March2015.
- Somporn, Supop (23 February 2006)."Sex change boxer is back in the ring".The Nation.Archived fromthe originalon 28 January 2007.Retrieved7 March2015.