Photo Gallery Tanwarin's Life
Tanwarin used to sell curry puffs in this market hall together with her mother. Back then, the area surrounding the market was a red-light district and it is here that Tanwarin saw ladyboys for the first time.
Tanwarin grew up in a home that used to be on this lot. She says her family constantly supported her, which helped her get to where she is today: Thailand's first transgender member of parliament.
Tanwarin's school. She came out as a teenager, when she played a female role in a play, wearing a dress and makeup. After the show, Tanwarin says her mother said: "You really should get a more beautiful dress."
Tanwarin teaches at this acting school in Bangkok and she has also worked as a film director. Her films focus on the lives of members of the transgender community. Her film "Insects in the Backyard" was banned for years because of a three-second-long scene showing nudity. The legal battle with the government led her to go into politics, she says.
