Nong Poy

Miss Tiffany Universe 2004 and Miss International Queen 2004, Treechada (Poy) Marnyaporn says, “I knew I wanted to be a woman ever since I was a child, but I had to fake being a man for mom and dad. I felt uncomfortable and disgusted with my own male sex organs. I was 17 when I decided to have the operation to change my sex. Once I had it, I felt much better, like I had become a new person. At first I was scared of going under the knife, so I consulted the surgeon and searched for a lot more information on it until I was certain I was ready to be a woman. The operation hurt, but it was worth the happiness I felt later once I had become a woman.” When Poy turned 19, she participated in Miss Tiffany Universe Contest and Miss International Queen Contest and was the winner in both of them. Today, she is a well-known celebrity in Thailand. Despite the success she has earned, she stated: “It happens to me naturally. I cannot help it and do not want to be born a transgender.” Poy also added that the legal status system causes her many problems when she travels to other countries because “many people do not believe that Poy was born a man.”

Acceptance
When asked about her personal relationship and future plans she wants to arrange for herself, Poy declares that she has a boyfriend who she is happy with. “He is not my first boyfriend, but he understands and accepts me as who I really am. This is very important to me because my last relationship did not go well. I was constantly dominated by my ex-boyfriend, and it made me feel uncomfortable.” As for the future, Poy wants “to have children and a happy family. Technology is so advanced nowadays, and I believe it can help me with babies.”