Transexual beauties take to the catwalk (From The Argus)
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Transexual beauties take to the catwalk
9:08pm Tuesday 2nd October 2007 in News By Katya Mira
Jo, right, won Miss Mature, while Linda Martin, left, was runner-up
An Indian Beyonce and a transgender version of Borat from Kazakhstan were among the contestants at a beauty pageant with a difference.
More than 100 people gathered at the annual Miss Transgender event at the Old Ship Hotel in Brighton to try their luck on the catwalk.
The event - in its fourth year - is the south coast's biggest transgender event attracting entrants of all shapes and sizes and opened by the city mayor Carol Theobald.
As well as the usual categories of Miss Transgender - open to drag queens, transvestites and transsexuals - and Miss Mature for the over-50s there was this year a Mr Transgender category for women who are now men.
The event raised money for the Sussex Beacon, Martlets Hospice and transgender charity the Claire Project.
Organiser Julie Craig said: "It is important to have an event like this to show awareness of transgender people and celebrate their beauty. It is also great fun, raises lots of money for charity and is a good way to get all kinds of different people together.
"It is brilliant that we get the profile we do and seem to be getting bigger and grander each year."
