Miss Transsexual Australia 2016, Australia’s biggest transgender beauty pageant that sparked international media attention for offering gender surgery as a top prize, will be held this Saturday 30 January in Melbourne.
Eight transgender contestants from across Australia are competing in this year’s beauty pageant hosted by Tristan Meecham at The Substation, in Newport, as part of the Midsumma Festival.
Earlier this week, pageant organisers raised many eyebrows after announcing that they were offering, for the first time, a gift voucher for full gender correction surgery at Kamol Hospital, in Thailand, to the winner. The prize includes return airfare, accommodation and cash worth US15,000.
Gayzha Davao, founder and co-director of Miss Transsexual Australia, was clear about the pageant’s message to the world.
“If the winner does not require gender reassignment surgery, she can opt to have other cosmetic surgical procedures at Kamol Hospital,” Ms Davao said.
“Of course, if the winner decides that surgery, whether sex change or cosmetic and plastic surgery, is not an option for her, then she may choose not to accept the prize. The choice is ultimately hers.”
Ms Davao added that the pageant was “not advocating surgery, or sex change surgery, for transgender people.”
“As a beauty pageant organiser, our role is to raise awareness and promote acceptance and positive images of transgender people,” she said.
“We are not promoting surgery for transgender people. We are saying that surgery is an option for some transgender people to help them complete their transition journey. Certainly the winner who believes surgery is the only option will welcome the prize.”
Pageant contestants will parade on stage in Victoria’s Secret-style outfits, evening wear and costumes inspired by Disney characters. The pageant is open to transgender women, who can be pre- or post surgery, above the age of 18.
The winner will be announced on Saturday at the crowning ceremony at The Substation, 1 Market Street, Newport, Victoria.
