#georgina beyer

[streetl4mp]

the trans community of aotearoa new zealand is mourning the death of georgina beyer, world’s first trans mayor and member of parliament.

i just wanna really emphasise how impressive what this woman has done is. she went from sex work into politics, was elected mayor of a relatively rural small town, yelled at transphobic destiny church members from the steps of parliament, advocated for sex workers and trans people throughout her career and into retirement, and was the world’s first trans member of parliament. that’s just crazy impressive to me.

[ahrahrahraha]

Wahine Toa Georgina Beyer, the world's first openly transgender Mayor and MP (Member of Parliament) has died today. A great loss for the world 💖💖💖💖💖💖 Rest in peace warrior

[celluloidrainbow]

GEORGIE GIRL (2001) dir. Annie Goldson & Peter Wells Georgina Beyer, a Maori actress turned public official, stuns the world in 1999 by becoming the first trans person to hold national office. Growing up on a small Tarankai farm, she later became a small-time celebrity on the cabaret circuit in Auckland. With charisma, humor and charm, Beyer unapologetically recounts her fascinating life story, shares how she overcame adversity and discloses the reasons she decided to run for office in a mostly all white, conservative electorate. (link in title)

[ofmdtereomaori]

Kua hinga te tōtara o Te Waonui a Tāne. Georgina Beyer (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou), transwoman, Member of Parliament, Mayor, sex worker, activist, actress, rape survivor, model, drag queen, trailblazer, LEGEND. November 1957 – 6 March 2023.

Moe mai rā e te rangatira... moe mai rā.

[newzealandwhy]

Rest in peace Georgina. You changed our country for the better.

For those who don’t know of Georgina’s incredible life and legacy, take a moment to read.

[kermit-the-hag]

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georgina beyer was the worlds first openly transgender mayor and the first member of parliament in the world who was openly and proudly trans. she will be truly missed by the lgbtq+ community in aotearoa. please, if you have never heard of this beautiful trailblazer, educate yourself. put the effort into learning about international leaders who helped shape the world and make it that little bit safer for us (especially for the transgender community)

[yourdailyqueer]

Georgina Beyer passed away recently. Her post needs updating

Thanks for letting me know. Post has been updated.

[blackberryjambaby]

i'm absolutely shattered. georgina beyer, a light in the dark always.

[onenakedfarmer]

Georgina Beyer 1957-2023

[aureliadebae603]

Georgina Beyers story

After I read over the brief, I began looking at the speech that I had been allocated. I was assigned a speech by Georgina Beyers. She was a New Zealand Mayor since 1999 and was the world's first outed transsexual to be elected to parliament.

As I began to research her further, I have come to understand what an amazing woman she was, through her incredible story about her life and how she has used her experiences to help create a change for the LGBQT+ community as well as sex workers within Aotearoa.

Beyer was born George Bertrand in November 1957 in Wellington. Her Iwi affiliations: Te Ati Awa, Ngati Mutunga, Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Porou. Shortly after her birth, her father abandoned the family and Beyers spent her early years growing up in Taranaki with her grandparents. When she was 4, she returned to Wellington with her mother and new stepfather, Colin Beyer. By this age, she had already discovered the joys of dressing up in women's clothing and by the age of 13, began to feel that her true identity was female.

Beyers epiphany came in her late teens when she attended her first drag show. Overjoyed to know she wasn't alone, she began working in the gay nightclubs in Wellington, singing and dancing in drag. With few employment options for young queers, she began to work in the dangerous industry of prostitution. Even though she felt a part of this new community, she was well aware of the homophobia that lay in the larger community.

In the later 1970's, she was beaten and gang raped by 4 men, a crime she did not report as her low self-esteem made her believe that she deserved such treatment. However, this became a positive turning point in her life as she believed that no one should feel so worthless that they consent to abuse.

In 1984, Beyer underwent sexual reassignment surgery, officially becoming the woman Georgina Beyers.

During the late 1980's she decided on another career change. Tired of being seen as a drag queen or a lady of the night, she was determined to pursue a career that would help to improve the lives of children in rural areas. She moved to the farming community of Carterton in the Wairarapa region to study to become a social worker.

In 1992, she was encouraged by family and colleagues to run for a seat on the Carterton District Council. She lost by only 14 votes. In 1993 she ran again and won and in 1995 she was elected mayor of the town, becoming the first openly transgender mayor in the world. She was re-elected in 1998 with a 90% majority.

In 1999, the Labour Party approached Beyer to run for the Wairarapa seat in Parliament. She agreed but her competition didn't believe that a left-wing Maori trans woman would win the traditionally conservative district. However, she won the seat and became the world's first openly transgender woman to be a member of the parliament. She reluctantly resigned from her position of Mayor of Carterton in 2000 to focus further on her national duties.

As a Member of Parliament, Beyer worked hard to represent both her rural constituents and the national and international queer community that looked to her for progressive reform. She remained as unapologetically open about her trans identity as ever, answering even questions about her sex life with frank humor, while speaking out about gay rights and working for the reform of prostitution laws.

Although she was unable to achieve the passage of a gender identity protection bill, she showed remarkable political savvy in persuading both the Solicitor General and the Attorney General to sign a statement making that protection explicit under New Zealand's current human rights bill, thereby achieving the same result.

She was also an effective proponent of the Civil Union Bill of 2004, which accorded same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities as married heterosexual couples.

In 2007, exhausted by the long hours and demanding workload of a national representative, Beyer resigned from Parliament.

Beyer's experiences as a groundbreaking politician, her public role as a transgender spokesperson, and her glamorous, theatrical persona makes her an internationally popular speaker on issues of sexual and gender identity.

Unfortunately, Georgina passed away early this year in March due to underlying health issues she had been struggling with for a few years. Her memory and life will continue on within the changes she has helped to create for the LQBQT+ community and within the bills that she helped to pass while she was in parliament.

[airyairyaucontraire]

I was always impressed by what Georgina Beyer accomplished and I’m sad that her life has ended relatively early. She could be justly proud of what she did with it.

[celluloidrainbow]

JEWEL'S DARL (1987) dir. Peter Wells Drag queen Mandy describes her love for her trans girlfriend, Jewel. Jewel's Darl concentrates on the fine details of their relationship: tea and biscuits in bed, Jewel's belief in staying strong against other people's mockery, and Mandy's memories of a troubled childhood. (link in title)

[ofmdtereomaori]

Georgina Beyer tribute roundup

Stuff obituary with her life story

Tribute from Gender Minorities Aotearoa

Tagata Pasifika tribute

Louisa Wall tribute on Radio Waatea

Chris Carter tribute in the Spinoff

NZ Herald article with tributes from all over Twitter

Newshub story with tributes from Aotearoa NZ Sex Workers’ Collective founder Dame Catherine Healy and former PM Helen Clark

Carterton District Council have unanimously voted to name a street after her

Poroporoaki from Willie Jackson

Bonus: the Georgie Girl doco is online

[kermit-the-hag]

Georgina helped Aotearoa through her actions as well as her bravery. Thank you for making the world a safer place to live in Whaea.

[cdo499]

dont forget that wherever you are now, your rights were likely granted through the domino effect started by trans women of color who were sex workers