Republic of the Philippines

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY

School of Advanced Studies
Second Semester 2018

Course Title : Reading Course in the Social Sciences

Professor : Dr. Julie C. Lomibao
Name : Geleen E. Garcia

BEAUTIFUL BOXER

The Beautiful Boxer tells the true story of Parinya Charoenphol, nicknamed Nong Toom,
a cross-dressing kick boxer from a poor family who saved his championship winnings to undergo
a sex-change operation. This movie is very interesting because it such a paradox how Toom
fought like a man to fight for his other choice: to be a woman.

In this movie, it clearly shows how the society we live in greatly affects our choices and
preferences in life. A single lip balm/lip gloss created by a society we live in changes Toom to a
different person. His curiosity as a child developed to a more complex habit. He started to put
some lip gloss in his lips as if he wants to try what he saw in other woman. That curiosity led
him or inspired him to become a woman.

Society and culture is such a very powerful force that holds and controls our life. This
movie is a proof how we are being shape by our society. Toom was torn with the decision of
being a transwoman or just became a man, because if he will pursue his choice, he will be judge
by the people and poke fun with his chosen sport. Toom’s simultaneous sweetness and toughness
with a subtlety that confounds the traditional categories of "masculine" and "feminine" is evident
in the movie .

And there, I realized that, your own choice greatly affects your own future, not with your
society alone. With its essentially sunny view of gender reassignment surgery as a means of self-
fulfillment, the film shows a refreshing refusal to indulge in the stereotype of the tragic drag
queen.