By Goya Dmytryshchak
The competition will be fierce when contestants from around the country and overseas converge at Williamstown next month for the Miss Gay & Miss Transsexual Australia International beauty pageant.
Event founder and Seddon resident Gayzha Davao held the first pageant 10 years ago at a St Kilda nightclub, attracting an audience of about 300.
About 1000 people are expected at this year’s contest.
“Miss Gay & Miss Transsexual Australia International is a celebration of drag queens and transgender women,” Ms Davao said.
“We have had a wonderful 10 years of working to increase the visibility of, provide a voice for, and, promote inclusion, diversity and equality for the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Themed ‘Colours of Diversity’, the event is sponsored by Hobsons Bay council as part of Midsumma Westside.
A showcase of some of the past winners and current contestants, titled
Showgirls, will be staged at the Pride of our Footscray community bar on January 31.
The Miss Gay & Miss Transsexual Australia International is on February 2 from 6-10pm at Williamstown Town Hall.
Details and tickets, visit www.midsumma.org.au/program/mgamt19
Goya Dmytryshchak
