Last Saturday contestants competed for Miss Gay and Miss Transsexual Australia as part of the Midsumma Festival. The Miss Gay section was for drag queens and impersonators while Miss Transexual was for those who have transitioned or are transitioning. It was the perfect event to bring men and women all over the country together to embrace their true selves.
There were four categories in the competition – themed (this year’s is Disney princesses and villains), female celebrity impersonation (e.g. Tina Turner), ballgown and a Q&A.
The first prize in the Miss Transsexual category is a $US15,000 voucher for cosmetic surgery in Bangkok allowing the winner to have male-to-female reassignment surgery. The pageant has received a lot of backlash for a sex change as the major prize but founder Gayzha Davao says it is to help promote the acceptance of transgender people in the broader community.
