Transgender Beauty Queens...Only the Gateway?

We all know beauty is more than skin deep. A zest for life transcends looks for all the people who truly matter in our world.

The Philippines recently landed square in the world transgender spotlight with pageant winner Kevin Balot but Filipina trans rights activist Naomi Fontanos recently told the Gay Star News  there is more to the transgender life than looking beautiful:


"Transgender women are nearly as visible in the Philippines as they are in Thailand, but does that mean the have a full bill of rights? Far from it, says Naomi Fontanos, founder of transgender rights group GANDA (Gender and Development Advocates) Filipinas. She talks to Gay Star News about health and legal advocacy, using contraceptives as hormones, the Catholic church and beauty pageants."

Read the rest of the interview here.

YOHIO is South of Cleveland?

This is very much an old story but then again, so am I.

His name is YOHIO, a 16-year-old boy from Sweden who is now the lead guitarist and songwriter of the visual kei band Seremedy. For those unfamiliar with the Japanese subculture, visual kei refers to a type of heavy metal-esque rock music marked by the musician’s flamboyant and often androgynous use of make-up, hairstyles and costumes while on stage.

I'm fairly sure "Yo-HIO" is what you hear when Ohio State or Ohio U. wins.

Trans Vice

I am going to pass along a link to Vice.com.
It's written by Paris Lees (below) who I have mentioned here in Cyrsti's Condo numerous times.

This article is an incredibly lengthy and sometimes raw  look at the do's and don'ts of being transgender aimed at the gay community.
Here's an example:

E.- "Everything Is So Fucking Hard, Even Buying Milk and Snickers Bars and Chewing Gum Let’s face it, life is tough. And everything’s worse when you’re trans. EVERYTHING. If you don't believe me, fellas, try cross-dressing and heading out to work. On the subway. Followed by dinner. If you're lucky, you'll just get laughed at all day. If you're unlucky, maybe you'll get raped or beaten or murdered. Maybe all three, as is way, WAY too common for those of us who don't "pass." Statistically, trans-folk are way likelier to be homeless, sex workers, mentally ill, and to commit suicide, too. Which is a pretty big bummer."

U.-"Unbelievable Stupidity, Everywhere As most people get most of their information about trans people from the media, and the media mostly knows jack shit about trans people, most people mostly know jack shit about trans people. Including those you’d really expect better from, like doctors and nurses. My nurse, for example, asked me what the difference between a transvestite and a transsexual is (and if you don’t know that, you’re stupid, too). People have died because medical staff refused to treat them after discovering they were trans. Because, really, apart from trans women, who cares?"


D - "Drag Drag is a gateway drug, kids. So be careful when you’re planning your next hilarious shenanigans. One minute you’re having the time of your life, dancing around in a cheap party wig; the next you're snorting estrogen off the back of a toilet seat. Seriously, it happened to me."

By now I'm sure you get the point and go here to read the rest!