Tongta Jamroenjai, 25, has come a long way since the day her male homeroom teacher punished her for wearing lingerie by making her stand in front of the entire school in just her bra and school shorts.
Tongta Jamroenjai at the final round of the 2016 Miss Tiffany pageant in Pattaya last week.
To her, there was nothing wrong with being transgender, so this particular incident left her deeply hurt -- to the point where she vowed to grow up to become a teacher so students such as herself would never be humiliated in such a manner.
Today, she's not just a respected teacher, but is competing in the prestigious 2016 Miss Tiffany pageant, whose final round was held last week in Pattaya.
A graduate of the Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, she comes across as smart, witty, charismatic and with a head on her shoulders. She said it's every transgender woman's dream to enter Miss Tiffany, in the hopes that it will shed light on not just the beauty but also the brains of women such as her.
Born in Lop Buri, Tongta, standing at 175cm and boasting a 34-25-36 physique, was vying for the top spot at the popular transgender-women beauty pageant in the hopes of using her cash prize to develop the Koksumwan School in Phetchabun, where she teaches Thai-traditional performing arts.
Not one to concede defeat easily, Tongta has always channelled her energy into areas of life where she can make a difference. Teaching, for her, meant just that. Her success today is largely due to hard work and perseverance.
"Teaching is a noble profession," she said. "Getting to where I am today was a struggle, because of the way I was born, but each hurdle I faced to reach my goal was worth the heartache. The problems I've faced have made me the strong person that I am today."
Homophobia is still a big problem in Thailand, she added, despite the image the country gives of being LGBT-friendly. While there is greater acceptance today for people of sexual diversity, they're still looked upon as freaks, and are frequently the butt of jokes.
"So when I decided to become a teacher, there was that initial hesitation, about whether people would accept me as a role model for youngsters. By being courteous, humble and forthright, I do believe you can change people's opinion towards you. And that's exactly what I did. Today, my co-workers, students and their families have accepted me into the fold. I haven't given them any reason to find fault in my being a transgender woman."
Being lampooned since childhood for who she is hasn't made her bitter or resentful. When dealing with homophobia, Tongta chooses to avoid confrontation, keep a level head and accept herself. This, she said, is a deliberate solution that's always worked for her.
So how does she deal with homophobes? Simply by showing that the LGBT are a vital part of society. "We also have to give reason for them to not find fault in us. I feel there's a general belief in Thailand that transgender women are loud attention seekers, which is not always true. There are many among as who are demure. We also have diverse career paths. Nobody can change a person's [negative] mindset -- what we can do is influence them to think otherwise."
Tongta, a straight-talking, no-nonsense character, prefers to count her blessings rather than reflect on the hardships of being born a man in a woman's body.
"I am blessed that my family has always supported me, encouraging me to follow my dreams and be the person I am," remarked Tongta. "Unlike other transgender women, I was rather lucky to have been spared the homophobic encounters most people like me have to go through on a daily bases. Frankly, the aforementioned childhood experience was bad enough to leave a long-lasting emotional scar. The fact that I could easily pass as a woman also contributed to my being spared the taunts transgender women experience. I prefer to live in reality, which, for people like me, is strewn with obstacles to proving our identity as women."
For as long as she can recall, Tongta couldn't identify with the body she was born with. Even before she began school, her preference for female attire had become obvious. Her state of confusion was further exacerbated when she began kindergarten. She recalls times when teachers chastised her for effeminate mannerisms and an interest in all things girlie.
"I was trapped in a man's body till the age of 21, after which I decided to have a sex change," recalled Tongta, who often speaks at seminars on the rights of transgender women in society. "Despite being a complete woman today, homophobia practices have continued unabated, despite the efforts of the LGBT community and others campaigning on our right to have our voices heard and presence felt."
"I've remained true to my gender identity since a child, deciding to go on hormones during my teenage years. I want to prove to society that we, the transgender, are like any other people -- we have dreams and aspirations, and we want to contribute to the betterment of society by holding jobs that make a difference in people's lives."
