Transsexual Miss World contest aims to boost awareness

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By Danny Kemp (AFP) – 1 day ago

PATTAYA, Thailand — Shimmering in a tight gold evening gown, a Japanese television host wept and called for greater tolerance as she was crowned the world's most beautiful transsexual at a pageant in Thailand.

Haruna Ai, 37, beat off stiff competition from 20 other glamorous contestants at the Miss International Queen 2009 who came to the Thai beach resort of Pattaya from as far as Brazil and the United States.

"I am very, very, very happy," a tearful Ai told AFP minutes after the previous title holder carefully placed a faux-diamond tiara on her head.

"I want contests like this to show everyone that they should love each other and live freely. The way of life in Japan is more traditional and transsexuals cannot live freely, but in Thailand they can do what they want," she said.

The contest, which was called off last year because of political turmoil in Thailand, is taken just as seriously as more traditional pageants in a nation famed for its sexual tolerance.

Millions of Thais watched live on television late Saturday as the statuesque beauties -- all of them born men -- strutted their stuff at Tiffany's Show Pattaya, billed as the world's largest transsexual cabaret.....

....While the audience may have whooped and cheered raucously, contestants and organisers said there was a serious side to the pageant -- boosting public awareness of transgender issues.

"An event like this for us is something I can only hope for in the United States," said US contestant Sunny Dee-Lite, 32, a party promoter from New York City who won the best evening gown gong.

Many participants had stories of discrimination......