Thailand "Beauty Queen" becomes a monk
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No longer a transsexual beauty queen, Jazz, now "100 per cent male," has become a monk.
In Thailand, only males can become Buddhist monks.
Thus, it was more than a little surprising to most people when news came out that the winner of the transsexual Miss Tiffany Universe 2009 contest, Sorrawee ‘‘Jazz’’ Nattee, had entered the monkhood on Sunday at a temple in southern Songkhla province.
While technically a man, Jazz had lived as a woman for much of his adult life.
His family says, however, that while Jazz had had breast implants, he never underwent transgender surgery.Removal of the implants have returned him to his original male gender.
‘‘I want to be a monk for the rest of my life and I’m ready to leave my worldly possessions behind,’’ Jazz said after becoming a monk at Wat Liab in his home province.
‘‘It’s not that I’ve become a monk to run away from problems, but I’ve studied dhamma for two years and now know what it truly is.’’
The monk, whose ordination name is Phra Maha Viriyo Bhikku, which means one who is diligent, said he took part in the transsexual beauty contest four years ago because his parents urged him to.
He added that he also wanted to enter the monkhood to repay his parents.
The abbot of Wat Liab said Jazz did not conceal the fact that he participated in the Miss Tiffany beauty contest.
‘‘Jazz is 100 per cent man, both emotionally and physically,’’ the abbot said.