Trainspotting - Could the character Renton be played convincingly by a girl?

In a few weeks i'll be performing the 'Choose Life' monologue from the film Trainspotting. Do you think it can be done well by a girl? Or is it just one of those parts that can only be done by a male? Also theres the thing that i'm quite young, but i think i can handle it. What do you think? - I'll be doing it for an assessment task at school.