Opera singer finds her true voice
A contestant in Pattaya's Miss International Queen beauty pageant has been given the chance to start life anew

    Published: 25/11/2012 at 12:00 AM

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/322966/opera-singer-finds-her-true-voice

'When I woke up I was a woman, a real woman,'' Morgana said as she relaxed in her Bangkok hotel.

It has been a life-changing month for the opera singer from Mexico. She came to Thailand to participate in the annual Miss International Queen transgender beauty pageant in Pattaya and has now fulfilled her lifelong dream to have gender reassignment surgery.

For Morgana, this is not the end of her journey _ it is only the beginning. ''I have been given this great gift,'' she said, ''so I need to use it to help change Mexican society.''

Two weeks ago, she stood on stage alongside 21 other contenders in the world's leading transgender competition (See ''Dreams take centre stage at transgender beauty pageant'', Spectrum, Nov 11). The contestants had travelled from across the globe for the chance to compete for both fame and US$10,000 (307,000 baht) in prize money.

Morgana knew that if she won, she could afford her operation, but after she failed to make the final shortlist and Kevin Balot of the Philippines took the crown, it looked like she would have to return home with that ambition unmet.