"It is important to allow people who want to be positive contributors of our society regardless
of sex, race, creed and gender to reach their human potential. We need all human potential
to make our communities thrive, to make them more vital, the very centre of our reason for
being and living. The most important thing at the end of the day is about people,
people and people!" - Georgina Beyer
.
Georgina Beyer (b 1957) was the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.
Born George Bertrand in 1957 in Wellington, Māori of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Raukawa, and Ngāti Porou descent, Beyer spent her early childhood on her grandparents' farm in Taranaki. Later she shifted to Wellington to live with her mother, who had subsequently married Colin Beyer, a prominent lawyer and businessman. Shortly after leaving school at Wellington's Onslow College, Beyer discovered Wellington's gay scene, and at the age of 17 realised she was transgender.
Adopting the name Georgina, she became a stripper and prostitute working in nightclubs and on the street. She eventually gravitated to Kings Cross, Sydney, probably Australasia's most notorious red-light district. There she got into a car with four men who brutally raped her. This incident apparently persuaded her to seek to change the course of her life.
Returning to New Zealand she continued to work as a stripper and drag queen, but also began seeking work as an actor with gradually increasing success, culminating in a Gofta award nomination for "Jewel's Darl" in 1987. In 1984 she finally underwent sexual reassignment surgery.
After shifting to Carterton, in the Wairarapa, she worked as a radio host.
She also began to take an interest in local politics, first winning election to a local school board, and subsequently being elected mayor of Carterton in 1995, serving in that role until 2000. This made her the world's first transsexual mayor.
In 1999 she surprised the political commentators by beating National's Paul Henry to win the Wairarapa seat for Labour and become the world's first transsexual MP.
Traditionally, newly-elected MPs have the floor for 10 minutes to introduce themselves to their new colleagues. An excerpt from her speech follows:
Mr. Speaker, I can't help but mention the number of firsts that are in this Parliament. Our first Rastafarian… our first Polynesian woman… and yes, I have to say it, I guess, I am the first transsexual in New Zealand to be standing in this House of Parliament. This is a first not only in New Zealand, ladies and gentlemen, but also in the world. This is an historic moment. We need to acknowledge that this country of ours leads the way in so many aspects. We have led the way for women getting the vote. We have led the way in the past, and I hope we will do so again in the future in social policy and certainly in human rights. (en.wikipedia.org)
Διαβάστε επίσης:
http://www.georginabeyer.com/
Georgina Beyer (b 1957) was the world's first openly transsexual Member of Parliament, and from 27 November 1999 until 14 February 2007 was an MP for the Labour Party in New Zealand.
Born George Bertrand in 1957 in Wellington, Māori of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Raukawa, and Ngāti Porou descent, Beyer spent her early childhood on her grandparents' farm in Taranaki. Later she shifted to Wellington to live with her mother, who had subsequently married Colin Beyer, a prominent lawyer and businessman. Shortly after leaving school at Wellington's Onslow College, Beyer discovered Wellington's gay scene, and at the age of 17 realised she was transgender.
Adopting the name Georgina, she became a stripper and prostitute working in nightclubs and on the street. She eventually gravitated to Kings Cross, Sydney, probably Australasia's most notorious red-light district. There she got into a car with four men who brutally raped her. This incident apparently persuaded her to seek to change the course of her life.
Returning to New Zealand she continued to work as a stripper and drag queen, but also began seeking work as an actor with gradually increasing success, culminating in a Gofta award nomination for "Jewel's Darl" in 1987. In 1984 she finally underwent sexual reassignment surgery.
After shifting to Carterton, in the Wairarapa, she worked as a radio host.
She also began to take an interest in local politics, first winning election to a local school board, and subsequently being elected mayor of Carterton in 1995, serving in that role until 2000. This made her the world's first transsexual mayor.
In 1999 she surprised the political commentators by beating National's Paul Henry to win the Wairarapa seat for Labour and become the world's first transsexual MP.
Traditionally, newly-elected MPs have the floor for 10 minutes to introduce themselves to their new colleagues. An excerpt from her speech follows:
Mr. Speaker, I can't help but mention the number of firsts that are in this Parliament. Our first Rastafarian… our first Polynesian woman… and yes, I have to say it, I guess, I am the first transsexual in New Zealand to be standing in this House of Parliament. This is a first not only in New Zealand, ladies and gentlemen, but also in the world. This is an historic moment. We need to acknowledge that this country of ours leads the way in so many aspects. We have led the way for women getting the vote. We have led the way in the past, and I hope we will do so again in the future in social policy and certainly in human rights. (en.wikipedia.org)
Διαβάστε επίσης:
http://www.georginabeyer.com/
1 σχόλιο:
Μ΄ αρέσει να διαβάζω αυτά τα ποστ σου. Πρέπει να ανεβάσεις κι ένα για τη δήμαρχο του Κέημπριτζ και τη σύντροφό της, ε; :)
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