Geena's Upcoming GenderProud Philippines Tour

Ever since model Geena Rocero came out as a trans woman during a favorably received March 31`TED talk last year, she has been on a mission to fight for trans human rights around the world.

I've had the pleasure of meeting Geena, talking to her regularly about that mission and spending quality time with her at last year's Philadelphia Trans Health Conference and a White House event last July.

After a May 11 visit to the UC-Santa Barbara campus for an event there, she's once again leaving on a jet plane headed back home to the Philippines.

Rocero will be there for a three week GenderProud tour in conjunction with local Philippine trans organizations from May 16-June 1 to talk with the Philippine transgender community.

"There's nothing more beautiful than being your full authentic self and saying it publicly, being in the public eye," said Rocero in an interview.



"I hope the trans community could feel that their stories matter, they need to be heard, and you're enough. You're a beautiful person by pursuing your truth, you are courageous, you should know that," she said.

While she has been part of the heightened visibility the trans community has seen in the past year that exploded after her coming out TED talk, she is quite aware of the fact that visibility can only go so far.and doesn't necessarily mean equality.

It's why she's in the Philippines for the next three weeks doing a series of events, and why she says she will continue to tell her story until she no longer has to.