Woody Talk scrutinises critically at the issue, consolidating endless opinions from laypeople, fellow monks and scholars about Venerable George being a monk, who was, prior to this, a former medical student and cross-dresser in Thailand’s transvestite scene. And as it goes, gender issues and religion mix as well as oil and water, and one monk’s dream to attain nirvana and enlightenment becomes a battle against relentless categories of gender, sexuality and dogma.
“Is it wrong to be a transvestite if he is a good person?”Venerable George in an interview with the Woody Talk Show
Woody speaks with Venerable George at length about the criticisms the monk faces, but when pressured during the interview, Venerable George retorts: “Can you cease it in your mind. A gay is a gay. Let it be. I am what I am. He is what he is.”
Indeed, we’ve yet to grapple with relative truths in relation to sexuality and gender, what more religion. And since when was sexuality the basis for moral judgement?
But as Judith Butler said: “We are always in Drag.”
Watch the five-part series here.
