Miss Tiffany 2008 Wrapup

TransGriot readers,
I told y'all about the annual Miss Tiffany Universe pageant that takes place in Thailand in May, but thanks to all the last minute activity swirling around me in preparation for the NE Transgender Pride weekend I didn't let you know who won.

The judges had a tough job deciding which one of these thirty beautiful ladies would wear the crown, but Miss Tiffany Universe 2008 is 21 year old college student Kangsadarn Wongdusadeekul or Nong Noeng. She received 100,000 baht ($3000 USD) and a Honda Jazz in addition to the crown and all the assorted gifts that come with this title.





First runner up was Nannapas Wechakul or Nong Golf, who received 40,000 baht ($1200 USD) and also received a trophy and sash. Second runner up was Pailin Denfahnapapol or Nong Bank who received 20,000 baht ($600 USD) a sash and a trophy.

Her father is a Thai army officer and she grew up on a military base. She actually tried to join the army, but as she told the audience, "Last year, I went to register as a soldier but my figure had changed, so the government did not let me."

"We are beautiful - so we have no need to be soldiers," she went on. Transgender people are barred from serving in the Thai military despite a law classifying them as “mentally disturbed” being overturned in March.

The nationally televised pageant is one with a purpose. In addition to promoting Pattaya, 100 miles southeast of Bangkok, as a worldwide tourist destination and the Tiffany's transgender cabaret, it also serves as a fundraiser for several Thai charities.







Nong Noeng will be the Thai representative later this year at the 2008 Miss Universal Queen pageant which is hosted around October by Tiffany's in Pattaya as well. That pageant is open to transwomen around the world, and Nong Noeng has the task of trying to keep that increasingly popular and prestigious title at home.



But the major goal of the Miss Tiffany Universe pageant is promoting acceptance of Thai transwomen and showcasing their beauty and intelligence.



Miss Tiffany 2004, Treechada Malayaporn, known as Polly, is an example of the growing success of those efforts to improve the images of Thai transwomen. She is now a successful actress and television presenter and was on hand during the night's festivities as an awards presenter.



Everyone thought I was a real girl before Miss Tiffany but after that everybody knew me as I am, a ladyboy," Polly said. "Everything changed. Now I'm studying international law. I just want to be someone who is clever and socially accepted."



And that's what your transgender sisters (and brothers) in Thailand and around the world want as well.

India's Transgender TV Host

Back in March I posted a Washington Post story to the blog about the upcoming debut of an Indian transgender TV host named Rose in Chennai, India.

Her half-hour show on Vijay TV called 'Ipadikku Rose' is broadcast to an audience of up to 64 million people in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu. While it was conceived as a program suitable for family viewing according to the show’s director, Anthony Thirunelveli, it tackles sex and sexuality issues.

The first episode was broadcast back in February and dealt with sexual harassment of women. In addition to a five member in-studio panel consisting of an academic, two women, and a couple, there was participation from the studio audience in the show as well.

The show has also tackled the exploitation of women in modeling, and according to Vijay TV's head of programming, Pradeep Milroy Peter when he was interviewed by the BBC back in February, "We will be tackling subjects that are very controversial in nature, from gay rights to sexual abuse and prostitution. All the issues that have been hushed up and put under the carpet."

The host is happy that her television show has garnered a positive reaction so far.

The 28 year old Rose studied biomechanical engineering at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA, and returned home to Chennai after working as a website designer. But ever since she was five she'd become aware of her femininity and felt uncomfortable as a boy. She didn't start dressing as a woman until her early 20's.

"Deep inside I relished being a girl," she said.

It took her years to tell her family the news, and once she did, their reaction to the news was not a positive one. "My mum was shattered, she burst out in tears and my dad was full of sorrow," Rose said.

Even so, her family still thought that they could put her on the path to masculinity and considered arranging a marriage for her.

Transsexuality in India has been surrounded by superstition and myth, but modern society has been less tolerant of them. Many are shunned by their families and find it hard to obtain conventional jobs. Rose is fortunate because she may be headed for TV stardom.



But despite being considered her homeland's version of Oprah Winfrey, like many transgender people once they come out, she's going through a difficult period in her life. "I have been publicly ridiculed, called names and looked down upon. There has also been physical abuse," she said.

She remains optimistic that her show will change society's attitude towards transgender people in India and put them in a more positive light.

Eunuch From India Fights For Respect At UN AIDS Meets

by Lalit K Jha
NDTV.com
Thursday, June 12, 2008 (United Nations)

An Indian eunuch, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is fighting for the rights and respect of the global transgender community during the ongoing United Nations high level meeting on AIDS.

After meeting a large number of ambassadors, diplomats, world leaders and social activists who from all over the world have gathered at the United Nations headquarters in New York for the HIV/ AIDS meet, Tripathi told NDTV.Com in an interview that she is here to fight for transgender community, who have been deprived of their basic rights and are not being treated as human being.

''I am raising the main issues of sex workers and sexual minorities who are treated with total disrespect. I am trying to bring the attention of the whole world to the issue of sexual minority,'' Tripathi said. ''I want that people should be more humane, they should consider each other as human being, and to respect them just to consider them as transgender,'' she said.

Born in an orthodox Brahmin family in 1979, Tripathi has the distinction of being the only eunuch in the UN's Civil Society Task Force on HIV/AIDS. In fact a UN event on HIV/AIDS has included transgender persons in the work of civil society caucus for the first time: a development greeted with cheers among eunuchs worldwide.

''The fact that I'm here should be a big achievement, but it amounts to nothing,'' she said during a press conference at the UN headquarters media briefing room.

Sitting on the same chair, which is very often occupied by visiting heads of states and the UN Secretary General himself, Tripathi asked correspondents: ''Am I invisible? You all can see me. Then, why we the transgender are treated as invisible?''

Speaking flawless English to the surprise of many UN correspondents, Tripathi explained that throughout the global South, especially in countries where transgender persons were also part of an ethnic group, sexual minorities were forced to beg for basic services and health care or forced into sex work because there was no political will to recognise their fundamental rights.

''Health services for people suffering from HIV AIDS are out of the question because doctors don't want to touch you,'' she said.

Observing that transgender people are very often threatened with stoning and death, Tripathi said that transgender communities are often afraid to assert their rights because they know that authorities would not back them up. ''It is now up to the UN to wake people up so that we are recognised as human beings,'' she said.

''This is a mission, which I want to accomplish,'' Tripathi told NDTV.Com after the press conference. ''Governments are treating us like shits. We can't let this happen anymore,'' she said.

Running an NGO called Astitva in Mumbai for the welfare of sexual minorities, Tripathi alleged that be it in the developed or the developing countries or the underdeveloped world, sexual minorities are not taken into consideration at all.

Observing that the condition of her community worldwide is pathetic, Tripathi said: ''They have no human rights, no right to education and no right for employment. If you do not have education, you do not have capacity to work or set up a business.''

Tripathi has been the centre of attraction during the UN meet. Standing five feet and eleven inches above ground and wearing colorful saree with glittering jewellery, she always caught people's attention as she moved around the UN building.

''Even simple thing like access to medicine is big thing for us. Doctors are not ready to touch you,'' she said. This is not only in India, and under developed and developing countries but also in developed countries, she argued.

''Governments have no interest for them, the politicians do not want to please them,'' said Tripathi, who has made several passionate speeches during the UN meeting on the same lines.

(c) Copyright NDTV Convergence Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

Thailand's Transgender Cabarets

The transgender cabarets of Thailand have been for several decades showcases for the beauty, grace and talents of Thai transwomen. They have also been the sponsoring and host venues for two beauty pageants that have garnered increasing worldwide press coverage and increasing numbers of contestants from Thailand and all over the planet.



Here's a clip from a story about the transgender cabarets.

Miss Tiffany Universe 2008

The 2008 Miss Universe Pageant won't be taking place until this July in Vietnam. Until then, pageant happy Thais can satisfy their pageant jones with the 2008 edition of the Miss Tiffany Universe Pageant.

The transgender Miss Tiffany Universe pageant is now entering its second decade and according to the Pattaya Daily News is taken as seriously as any pageant with biowomen contestants. The pageant has 22 businesses sponsoring it this year, according to Ms. Alisa Bpanthusak, the chair of the contest and Assistant Managing Director of Tiffany's, the Pattaya cabaret that hosts the pageant. The May 30 finals will also be broadcast live on Thai television.

Sorry pageant girls, this one's only open to Thai transwomen. The winner of Miss Tiffany Universe not only receives a cash prize and a car, but serves as Thailand's representative for the pageant they host at Tiffany's for the rest of the world's transwomen called the Miss Universal Queen Pageant. They also send the winner to the Queen of the Universe Pageant held in Los Angeles.

Ms. Bpanthusak also noted in the May 7 press conference held in Bangkok that the pageant was not only gaining increased acceptance and cachet, but the quality and variety of the contestants that entered was rising as well. She noted she had more contestants that were college students or had thespian training.

The judges definitely will have a tough job whittling the pool of applicants down to the 30 girls who'll take part in various related scheduled activities from May 26-29 and selecting Miss Tiffany Universe 2008.

ID Issues In Thailand

TransGriot Note: One of the things that's a major irritant to those of us who transition is the refusal of some nations to allow transgender people to change our identity documents to reflect the person we are now, not at birth. This September 20, 2007 article touches on some of the issues that mismatched ID can cause a transitioned transperson and how those identity document issues can lead to other issues that impact our quality of life.

Please call me "Miss," Transgendered Thais Say
September 20, 2007
Copyright © 2008 AFP

BANGKOK (AFP) — Yonlada Krerkkong Suanyot says she's every bit a woman, except for on her identity card which identifies her as a man.

Yonlada was born male but completed her sex change operation five years ago and has lived as woman for even longer.

Although Thailand has a worldwide reputation as a paradise for transsexuals, with gender reassignment surgery widely available and relatively cheap, the kingdom does not allow people to officially change their gender for legal purposes.

Activists are now trying to change that, proposing a new law that would allow transvestites and transsexuals to legally change their gender and adopt the title "Miss".

It's a minor legal change with profound legal implications.

The difference between Yonlada's appearance and the gender on official documents such as her national identity card and passport has caused her countless problems, including rejection for bank loans and refusal of jobs.

"I have lost a lot of opportunities to work for good companies or even government agencies," she said.

When she tried to get a bank loan to start her own business, the loan was refused because the bank thought she was using a stolen ID.

"I know the bank thought I didn't look reliable," she said.

Some transsexuals also have problems travelling overseas, because they are listed as men on their passports but appear as women at the immigration counter.

Natee Teerarojjaongs, chairman of the Gay Political Group, said he had proposed the legal change to Thailand's parliament specifically to end such discrimination.

"This would clear obstacles for them working and travelling," he said.

Natee is also pushing for the law to cover people who dress as the opposite sex or have undergone some surgery, as well as those who have completed their gender reassignment surgery.

Thailand is believed to have one of the largest transsexual populations in the world.

Transsexuals, known locally as kathoey, have long had a place in Thai culture, with roles reserved for them in traditional festivals, in folk theatre, and even as geisha-style "companions."

Kathoey are also among Thailand's most visible cultural exports, with Vegas-style transsexual cabarets performing to audiences of thousands and popular movies about their lives playing the global film festival circuit.

That history of acceptance, combined with easy access to Thailand's top-rate hospitals, has made it relatively easy for people to undergo a sex change.

Academics estimate at least 10,000 live in Thailand, though other guesses are more than 10 times higher. Even the conservative number would mean that per capita, Thailand has many more transsexuals than most developed countries.

"We estimate that only three percent of transvestites complete their sex change because the medical bills are so expensive, but we want to make sure everyone is equal and can be covered by the law," he said.

There would be conditions to legally change genders, including a mandatory psychiatric evaluation and a background check, he said.

Natee found a sympathetic ear in member of parliament Kanjana Silpa-archa, who heads the subcommittee on women's affairs.

"I believe people should have equal rights. Transgendered people should have the same rights as any other sex," she said. "For a person who is not happy with his sex and who lives as the opposite sex, he deserves the chance to receive what he wants."

Kanjana's committee has taken up Natee's proposal, but the measure still needs approval from the higher-ranking committee on women, youth and the elderly before going to the entire parliament.

The current parliament was appointed by the military after last year's coup, so Natee and Kanjana acknowledge that there's not much time to give the bill a hearing before legislative elections on December 23.

Yonlada said the current system just encourages transgendered people to break the law by getting fake IDs. She admits to bribing a Bangkok city worker to get a fake card with the title "Miss," but said that didn't help in the long run as potential employers found her out anyway.

"If we could really have the title 'Miss,' it would help us live our lives more easily," she said.

STRAP To Philippine Supreme Court: We Understand

TransGriot Note: This is the official statement of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) in regards to a recent adverse Philippine Supreme Court decision in regards to name and document changes. It also drives home the point I make (and will continue to make) that transgender rights and recognition of our human right to live our lives are a worldwide struggle.

Official statement of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines regarding the decision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines

Filipina transsexual group to Supreme Court: We understand

The Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP) understands why the Supreme Court of the Philippines denied the petition for a change of first name and sex of Ms. Mely Silverio, a landmark decision penned by Associate Justice Renato Corona, promulgated on the 22nd of October 2007.

In one way or another, we are all ignorant. Since omniscience is not a human quality, the decisions and choices that we make in life, no matter how we claim to be rational and intelligent, are always limited by the information that we have, the quality of the information, and by our capacity to process and interpret them. Moreover, our biases, prejudices, and emotional commitment to our long-cherished beliefs affect the manner we reach our conclusion. This is unavoidable for basking in the bliss of perpetual ignorance is very comfortable. Just like any decision, this one, without doubt, suffers from it. We understand for STRAP is also ignorant.

STRAP is ignorant of how the justice system in the Philippines really works or whether it is working at all.

STRAP is ignorant of whether or not the freedom of expression enshrined in our constitution includes gender expression.

STRAP is ignorant of the wisdom behind this decision that leaves us with the unnecessary suffering and inconvenience brought by the “M” on our birth certificates until Philippine Congress finally decide that we deserve to live a dignified, joyful, and self-fulfilling existence, just like every human being.

STRAP is ignorant of why our Supreme Court cannot be like the Supreme Court of South Korea, which decided in 2006 to allow transsexual people to change their sex on their birth certificates. Justice Kim, commenting on their decision, said that their decision “is the best choice to alleviate the suffering of transsexual people at a time when any tangible legislative measures to protect their rights is most likely a long time coming.”

But we are not comfortable in our ignorance for we know that there are a lot of countries whose legal systems allow our legal identity to reflect, even without sex reassignment surgery, the gender we actually live rather than the gender declared by the doctors upon our birth. Of course, these countries have access to the latest information regarding the reality behind the category of sex. Information that, undoubtedly, the Supreme Court of the Philippines failed to take into consideration. Perhaps the Supreme Court simply has no access to them. We understand.

However, access to information does not always guarantee wisdom. Without compassion, understanding, and the humility to accept that you are ignorant, wisdom is impossible. Perhaps our country’s institutions have not yet reached the same stage and level of compassion and understanding that other countries have towards people like us. We understand.

We are among the daughters and citizens of this country. We are humbly reclaiming the right to define our gender identity. Our male name is not the name that we use every day. The male on our birth certificates is not the life we live every day. The legal identity that we carry is a lie because that is not who we really are. We want the gender that we actually live, present and declare every day be the one reflected on our birth certificates and not what the doctors declared upon our birth.

We are not asking for the stars, just our real life to be reflected on our legal papers. When will we be understood? We hope that Philippine Congress is listening, compassionately.

In loving kindness,
The Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines

E : strapmanila@gmail.com
W: www.tsphilippines.com

Leona Lo Seeks Education Meeting With Club

Transsexual Author Seeks To Educate Club That Asked Her To Leave
By Sylvia Tan
November 13, 2007
From fridae.com

A well known Singaporean transsexual author and speaker, who was asked to leave a club early Saturday morning, hopes to turn the incident into an opportunity to educate the club’s bouncers and management about gender diversity.

Leona Lo, the author of the first transsexual autobiography to be published in Singapore, was asked to leave a bar known as The Pump Room after being told that it did not welcome “lady boys.”

Leona Lo, author of From Leonard to Leona, the first transsexual autobiography to be published in Singapore. The author of From Leonard to Leona said she was approached by a bouncer while she was dancing at the Clarke Quay nightspot with her friends early Saturday morning.

In an email to the media over the weekend, Lo said that despite trying to explain that she is a transsexual author raising awareness of transsexual issues in Singapore, the supervisor whom the bouncer summoned reiterated that the club did not welcome "lady boys."

Feeling "enraged at being called a lady boy and being discriminated against," she had refused to show the bouncer her ID although it states female as her gender.

“Sorry, this not my policy, this the bar's policy. Our clients don't like. You not happy please leave.” Lo quoted the supervisor as saying.

When contacted by Fridae, Bill Graham, a director of The Pump Room, said in an email that the club is still “trying to patch together a picture of exactly what happened that night” as their security staff are largely part-timers especially on weekends.

He added that the club has “no policy excluding any groups whatsoever excepting those who are below our recommended age limit, are in breach of our very reasonable dress code, or people who are behaving inappropriately or have done so in the past.”

The British-educated 32-year-old, who runs her own public relations consultancy, told Fridae that she is not "looking for an apology - but the opportunity to conduct an hour-long lecture on gender diversity for the bouncers and their management.”

“In the States, when there are acts of discrimination, people are sometimes sentenced to community service. In this instance, I will undertake the 'community service' myself.”

When asked why she had alerted the media to her experience, she explained: “If this could happen to me, it's probably happening to lots of transsexuals on a regular basis. In the past, transsexuals used to live under the sword of fear, and no one stood up for them.”

“I feel it's my duty to stand up to the bullies - and that's what they are, bullies. Bullies try to strike fear in the hearts of the more socially vulnerable. But in so doing, they also reveal themselves to be cowards.”

“I hope to promote understanding and compassion among Singaporeans for those they perceive to be ‘different.’ I believe in promoting awareness through peaceful methods. Awareness has already been raised in Today and Shin Min (a Chinese-language daily), so I'm happy with this."

Both Lo and the management of the Pump Room have said that they will be in touch to seek a resolution to the matter.

Since 1996, Singapore has recognised the right of transsexuals to marry in their reassigned sex.

Another Giant Leap For GLBT Rights In Nepal

AFP - France
December 21, 2007
[12/21/07]

Nepal Supreme Court Orders Government To Guarantee Gay Rights

KATHMANDU (AFP) -- Nepal's Supreme Court Friday ordered the government to enact laws to guarantee the rights of gays and lesbians, who have long complained of discrimination in the highly conservative Himalayan nation.

"The government of Nepal should formulate new laws and amend existing laws in order to safeguard the rights of these people," the judges said in their ruling.

"Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex are natural persons irrespective of their masculine and feminine gender and they have the right to exercise their rights and live an independent life in society," the judges said in the ruling, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

The court also ordered the government to form a committee to study existing laws and provisions of foreign countries on same-sex marriage and prepare laws to give it legal recognition in Nepal.

Rights activists hailed the ruling as a landmark decision.

"It's a very encouraging and progressive decision. We all feel we are liberated today," Sunil Babu Pant, president of the Blue Diamond Society which works on behalf of sexual minorities in Nepal, told AFP.

The society along with three other groups had filed a joint petition at the Supreme Court seeking legal status and rights for sexual minorities in April 2007.

"There were no specific laws to protect the rights of sexual minorities but the Supreme Court's decision has opened the doors to enjoy our rights," said Pant.

There are no official figures on sexual minorities but rights group estimate that homosexuals and transgender people account for nearly 10 percent of Nepal's 27 million population.

Although homosexuality is not listed as a crime under Nepali law, "unnatural sex acts" can be punished by up to a year in prison.

"Now it's the government's responsibility to make new laws to guarantee our rights and we will put pressure on the government to act on the decision," Pant said.

His organisation was founded in 2001 to address the needs of sexual minorities, and has received financial support from singer Elton John and other celebrities.

2007 Miss International Queen Pageant

It looks like the Thais got what they wanted. One of their homegirls took the Miss International Queen crown.






Thanyarat Jiraphatphakorn, AKA Nong Film, was crowned Miss Tiffany Universe only a few short months ago. She got to enjoy another crowning ceremony in Pattaya Saturday night during the fourth annual edition of this pageant.

The pageant was conducted in Thailand November 5-10. The talent took place on Friday, November 9 with the televised finals on Saturday. Tiffany's Show Pattaya runs the event and claims to be the world's largest transsexual cabaret. They do have competition from not only other cabarets in Thailand, but the Amazing Philippines Show as well. A spokesperson said that they expected more than 25 million Thai television viewers to tune in to the finals which were televised live.



The first runner up was Miss Brazil, Aleika Barros and the second runner up was Miss Philippines, Chanel Madrigal.



Interestingly, there was no contestant representing the United States in this year's edition of the pageant. Jazmine International from New York chose to represent Puerto Rico.



This one was dominated by the Asian girls. Half of the 23 contestants represented Asian nations. There were 4 representing the Philippines, 3 each representing Nepal and Japan and one representing Malaysia in addition to the homegirl from Thailand.

The European reps were in the house as well. There were two girls representing Switzerland, and one each from Great Britain, Germany and Italy.



The South American beauty pageant hotbeds of Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil were represented along with the nations of Mexico and Costa Rica and the Caribbean islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico.



The cool thing about this pageant is that in Thailand, this pageant is taken as seriously as Miss Universe or any other beauty pageant.

"I feel excited and so happy. Everybody enjoyed the contest and I didn't expect anything like this," the 21-year-old student said from atop her throne after winning $10,000 USD and the title.

"This is the night I have been preparing for my whole life," gushed Colombia's Melania Armenta, a 25-year-old model.

Last year's queen Erica Andrews performed "Mexican Aztec" -- an upbeat, pulsating dance homage to her homeland complete with ancient pyramids, flashing native symbols and historic outfits.



In the costume round, Thanyarat had to compete against a butterfly, a swan and a Mercedes Benz, but the top prize in the category was given to Japan's Beni Tsukishima for her authentic kabuki ensemble.

Tanyarat's angelic white-beaded evening wear, fit for the grandest of galas, gave way to the more salacious floral pink bikini in the swimsuit competition, showing off her shapely legs and slim figure.

But she finally wooed the crowd with dedication to loftier issues.

"Global warming is one of the most serious problems the world faces today," she said when asked how she helps educate people on environmental issues.

"I tell them to 'think about it'. It's your world too," she said.



The crowd, consisting of mostly Thais and tourists, cheered loudly for the homegrown favorite but were upstaged by feverish, flag-waving Filipinos who supported four of their compatriots.

Thai transsexuals have slowly been leaving the cabarets for mainstream success in music and other endeavors, helped in part by the popularity of beauty contests.

Pageant participants praised Thailand for its progressive attitude towards transgender people.

"There is still a lot of discrimination against people like me in the Philippines," said 24-year-old Chantal Rain Marie Madrigal, from Manila.

"Thailand is like a utopia for transgender people."

So long live the new Miss International Queen. It'll be interesting to see who takes it next year.

And The Winner Is...

There's a new Amazing Philippine Beauty queen.

Kris Andrea Dawn Barrameda took the crown in the fifth annual Amazing Philippine Beauty pageant held at the Manila Film Center on October 19. Kris will not only represent the Philippines in the upcoming Miss International Queen Pageant taking place in Pattaya, Thailand on November 5-10, she also receives a cash prize and a one year performance contract in the Amazing Philippines Show.

Barrameda beat 23 other contestants, including 23 year old crowd favorite and first runner-up Miles Gio, who was voted Miss Friendship and took the Best Evening Gown category. Second runner-up was stunning 18 year old Angel Herrera, third runner-up was 18 year old Mona Gonzales who took the Best Talent part of the competition. Fourth runner-up was 22 year old Mikee Coloma.

From the initial 24 contestants that began the competition, the five finalists round was scored with 60 percent based on facial beauty and 40 percent on the contestant's intelligence. Personally I think that percentage should be reversed, but it ain't my pageant.

Rounding out the top 10 finalists, which was scored in this round based on 60 percent facial beauty and 40 percent figure, were Beth Imperial, People’s Choice awardee Joyce Azarcon, Miss Fashionista Joanna Santos, Ayumi Lopez, and Angelica Cruz Ilustre.

The girls making the 15 semifinalists were Cynthia Soliven, Kimberly Hernandez, Asyana Zulueta, Hershey Marie Francisco and 5'11' Erika Louise Peralta, the tallest candidate in the competition. Erika also took home the Best in National Costume award. 2007 Miss Photogenic winner Channa Mendez failed to make the cut.

The pageant is the brainchild of the Amazing Philippine Theater, a show similar to the ones put on by the transgender cabarets in Thailand. It was established on August 15, 2001 and showcases the best of Filipino GLBT talents.

The first and biggest theatrical variety show in the country features Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Broadway, musicals, comedy acts, modern dances, Filipino folk and stylized traditional dances. In 2003 the Amazing Philippine Show started the pageant in order to look for the most beautiful transwomen in the Philippines to be employed with the company.

“We’ve made great strides toward this pageant and other goals since the day we’ve decided that we will keep this family together for the long haul. I vow that the Amazing Philippine Theater Family will continue to be guided by a passion for bringing you the best in the field of entertainment—for doing the right thing, and for reaching those who seek what this beautiful country and its people has to offer,” said Iron Chang, the theater’s president to Giovanni Paolo J. Yazon of the Manila Standard Today.

The objectives of Amazing Philippine Beauties are to uplift all the appalling impressions of GLBT beauty pageants, give opportunities for transgender people to showcase their beauty and talent, be employed as a performer to enhance their personality and contribute to the quality of the theater’s performances in the aspect of cultural entertainment to match the discriminating tastes of many tourists; to be accepted by the society as a productive individual; build friendship and camaraderie; and rekindle the lost flame of fame and reputation that the Manila Film Center used to have.

Judging by the international coverage that this pageant is starting to garner, they are well on their way to fulfilling those goals.

Previous Miss Amazing Philippine Beauty titleholders are Sarah Trono (2003), Kaori Michelle Artadi (2004), Ardee Cansino (2005) and last year's queen Patricia Montecarlo.

Barrameda, a 22-year-old business management major has set her sights on surpassing what her predecessor did in last year's Miss International Queen pageant.

The statuesque Montecarlo was the first runner-up to Erica Andrews, who represented Mexico in the Miss International Queen contest held in Thailand last year. That was the Philippines’ highest placement in the three-year-old pageant that features transwomen from around the globe.

Congratulations to Kris and we'll see when the semifinals and finals take place on November 9-10 if she captures that increasingly prestigious crown as well.

2007 Miss Amazing Philippine Beauty Pageant

Competition is now underway at a hotel just outside Manila for the fifth annual Miss Amazing Philippine Beauty pageant.





The transwomen-only pageant kicked off with a press conference on October 2. The weeklong competition commenced October 12 at a hotel in Pasay City with 24 contestants vying to be selected as the most beautiful transwoman in the Philippines. The 2007 Miss Amazing Philippines pageant winner will be crowned on October 19.

The Phillipines, like most of Asia has always been wild about beauty pageants and this all-transgender one has steadily been growing in popularity. Last year's pageant drew 28 contestants and the winner, Patricia Montecarlo, went on to compete in the Miss International Queen pageant in Pattaya, Thailand. She finished first runner up to my fellow Texan Erica Andrews, who was representing Mexico.







This year's Miss International Queen Pageant will take place November 9-10 once again at the Tiffany's Show Lounge in Pattaya, Thailand. If you happen to be travelling in that part of the world at that time you may want to check it out. If you can't get to Pattaya, the pageant will be televised live on Thai television.





Which one of the 24 ladies competing will be this year's winner? We'll know for sure on the 19th.

You're Under Arrest

I'm not a big anime fan, but I've gotten hooked on this particular anime series thanks to Dawn.

It's called You're Under Arrest and ran for two seasons on TV in Japan. The show centers on Miyuki Kobayakawa and Natsumi Tsujimoto. They are roommates, friends and partners who are Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department officers. They are stationed at the fictional Bokuto Station in the Sumida Ward of Tokyo.




Miyuki is a computer whiz who is shy, polite, punctual, proficient at her job and not as physically strong as her best friend. They are traits not shared by her partner Natsumi. She's tough, brash, a slacker, loves to excessively eat and drink and is chronically tardy. But despite that she's an excellent officer. She and Miyuki make an unbeatable team that has garnered a reputation around Bokuto Station for solving many cases.

The show focuses on their lives on and off duty and includes some of the other officers at Bokuto Station. There's the whiny Yoriko Nikato, the dispatcher and station gossip. She's a klutzy bumbler who gets her fellow officers in awkward situations, but her lucky streak gets them out of the trouble she inadvertently creates. When she was at the police academy she managed to graduate at the top of her training class and earn the ire of rich witch Chie Sagamiono in the process.

There's the 'White Hawk', handsome motorcycle cop Ken Nakajima. He's an expert rider who is good enough to where he could have had a pro racing career, but loves his job. He also likes Miyuki, but just like her is too shy to express his feelings to her. They actually made progress towards kindling a relationship at the end of Season 1

There's Strikeman, the local costumed vigilante that fancies himself as a superhero. He's the bane of drunks, peeping toms, perverts, parking violators and people who are disrespectful to seniors. They usually find themselves at the other end of one of his fastball pitches

He's an annoyance to not only the citizens of the Bokuto precinct, but the officers of Bokuto Station as well. Strikeman refers to Natsumi as 'Home Run Girl' due to her ability to whack Strikeman's pitches into orbit.

The character I really love is Aoi Futaba. Prior to joining the police force he was an accomplished high school basketball player. After becoming a police officer Aoi was assigned to the vice unit. In order to crack a case involving a serial rapist, Aoi crossdressed as part of the investigation and assimilated into womanhood so thoroughly that Yoriko said about her in one episode, "she's more woman than we are".

Yes, peeps Aoi is transgender.

Aoi's arrival at the station was initially met with resistance, with Yoriko being the most vocal about it, but over time the Bokoto officers accepted her as part of the family, began using the correct pronouns to address her and she became one of the girls. Yoriko overcame her initial resistance to her and became Aoi's patrol partner when she transferred to street duty.

She basically says that her spirit is female, and she's more girly-girl than many of the female officers she works with. There are numerous episodes where Aoi ends up in situations in which her gender issues rear their head at inopportune times. A famous actor fell for her in one episode, and despite the fact she was falling for him, had to reluctantly tell him that she's still pre-op.

There was another episode when she was on Christmas vacation with her fellow Bokuto officers and a local mountain kid invaded her room while she was asleep. He tried to force himself on her and ended up with a surprise when he grabbed between her legs.

He also earned a beat down from Natsumi as well.

I found You're Under Arrest fascinating. I love the characters, it's beautifully drawn and illustrated and for the most part does an excellent job in depicting the day to day realities of police work.

Strikeman is a trip as well. ;)