Muay Thai fighter Nong Rose Bancharoensuk is strong, fast, and comes from a family of Thai kickboxers.
She regularly fights men and was, in fact, born male. She was recently the first trans fighter to grace the ring at Bangkok’s famed Rajadamnern Stadium, where the crowd went crazy cheering for her.
She easily won a five-round match against male kickboxer Priewpak Sorjor Vichit Padriew a few weeks ago. It was her second fight at the revered Muay Thai venue. Her first, in June, marked the first time a trans athlete fought there.
After the recent fight, with a cut above his right eye, Priewpak told Bangkok Post that it was hard to match his opponent’s large build and notable strength.
It was the second consecutive win for Nong Rose, 21, in the revered Muay Thai arena after becoming the first transgender boxer to fight there last month. In her professional career, she has won 150 of her 300 fights and scored 30 knockouts as well.
After the fight, she noted that she believes trans people can achieve anything they want.
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Nong Rose said that she began training at eight years old, alongside her twin brother and under the direction of their uncle, both of whom are Muay Thai fighters. However, she identified as female early as well and began wearing a sports bra and makeup in the ring early on as well.
She began boxing in the country, where her trans status was off-putting to some of the men she fought. She said, “They would say they didn’t want to fight with a gay person, as it would be embarrassing if they won or lost.”
Life is difficult for trans people in Thailand, despite the high profile they seem to have thanks to beauty pageants and some roles in TV and movies. Trans Thais often have limited access to professional opportunityม and social respect and can not yet legally change their gender on any legal paperwork, which makes them vulnerable to hate crimes and discrimination, despite the latter being illegal, thanks to a 2015 law.
READ: Proposed law would allow trans Thais to legally change gender
Nong Rose’s regular training camp is in the Isaan city of Buriram, where the owner says that everyone loves her and calls her a role model.
The young woman wants to be a global ambassador for Muay Thai and have her own camp someday.
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