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.