Miss Gay & Miss Transsexual Australia 2015

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Sat 31 Jan 2015

The annual Miss Gay and Transsexual Australia pageant is a wonder to behold. Beyond the glamour of the costumes and the danger of the sky-high heels worn by the contestants, is a sentiment and sense of occasion that almost moved me to tears the first time I attended this event two years ago.

The annual pageant is coined as "an alternative beauty pageant with a mission of promoting awareness for better understanding and acceptance of the transgender community", however it is so much more than that. The pageant commenced in 2010 and for many of the contestants is the one day of the year that they are celebrated, audibly cheered and embraced by the extended community. The transsexual community is still one of the most overlooked and marginalised, even within the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.



Whilst many families, cultures and communities are becoming increasingly accepting of their gay and lesbian members, unfortunately our transsexual counterparts are not making the same headway. This pageant offers male-to-female transsexuals the change to glam up, swan around and be celebrated in the bodies that they have worked hard to gain... and let me tell you, these women are stunning. The only thing that possible outshines the contestants are the completely over the top and fabulous costumes!

You'll find no catwalk cat-fights at the pageant though. The contestants take part in rehearsed group dances, individual talent rounds as well as the contestants for Miss Gay partaking in a Priscilla Costume competition, and Miss transsexual contestants competing in a Vegas Showgirls costume competition. Both will also compete in an evening gown round.

The theme of the first Miss Gay and Transsexual Pageant I attended was Colours of Australia, to highlight and celebrate diversity of culture and tradition existing within the Australian community and the costumes were magnificent. You can see a recap of the costumes here , you will also see how happy these women are. In their everyday lives people a lot of these women struggle with employment, prejudice, unique medical concerns and family issues. It was the smiles on their faces and the pride with which they presented themselves on stage at this event that got me hooked, and left me feeling that I had seen something very special. Photos from the equally as spectacular 2014 event can be seen at SameSame .



So set Saturday 31 January aside. Doors open at 6pm, with the pageant commencing at 7pm sharp. This is a family-friendly event, there is no nudity on stage or adult language. Annually the pageant brings in two surprise emcees who keep the night full of laughs and assist the more nervous contestants in their answers. New in 2015, this year's candidates will also talk about their chosen cause or charity, to which part of their winnings will be donated.

The 2015 pageant will take place at the Yarraville Club, in the event space that holds over 400 people, but fills up very quickly for this special event. Tickets for this year's pageant are a very reasonable $30 (concession: $25), and drinks are available to purchase at the bar.

You can learn more at facebook event page and book tickets via Midsumma .



#community_events
#fun_things_to_do
#LGBTIQ
#near_melbourne
#nightlife
#north_west_melbourne
#yarraville
#january
!date 31/01/2015 -- 31/01/2015
%wnmelbourne