Can you tell the difference? Brazilian beauty pageant for males who want a sex change (PHOTOS)

As the Brazilian contestants sashayed onto the stage in pink bikinis for a beauty pageant held in Rio de Janeiro’s João Caetano Theatre, their incredible figures drew a loud applause and cheers from a hyped up, excited audience.

The wolf-whistles and shouts of appreciation were not just for the models’ feminine curves; they are also for the breathtaking courage of the leggy, high cheeked sirens, who in flaunting their bodies made an unequivocal statement that they are proud to be transvestites and transsexuals. All were born as men.

But that wasn’t the most controversial aspect of Monday night’s Miss Trans Brazil 2013 contest.

Glamour: Contestants line up for the Miss Trans Brazil 2013 contest in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night Glamour: Contestants line up for the Miss Trans Brazil 2013 contest in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night

For the first time, the organisers, the Transgender Association for the State of Rio de Janeiro (RIO ASTRA), offered the winner a transsexual operation from male to female in Thailand.

The prize ran into controversy because a sex change operation is against the law in Brazil.

Instead of withdrawing the prize as they were instructed to do, the organisers dodged the problem.

‘We did not directly offer transgender surgery as a prize. We presented the award as a gift voucher with the option for the winner to do what they want with the money in Thailand.

Leggy: For the first time, the organisers of the event are offering the winner a transsexual operation from male to female in ThailandLeggy: For the first time, the organisers of the event are offering the winner a transsexual operation from male to female in Thailand

 

‘It will be entirely up to them,’ says the President of ASTRA, Marjorie Marchi, carefully choosing her words speaking to the Mail Online.

It means, the victor can either undergo a sex change or have the best cosmetic facial and plastic surgery in the Far East country.

The prize was worth £4,000 with a year of counseling if they choose the sex operation.

At Monday night’s event, there were even representatives from the hospital in Thailand who will provide the surgery of choice.

This is the second Miss Trans contest to be held in Rio and the winner of this year’s national competition will also go on to compete in the Miss Universe Transgender 2014 contest.

Stunning: A contestant sashays onto the stage at the beauty pageant held in Rio de Janeiro¿s João Caetano Theatre Stunning: A contestant sashays onto the stage at the beauty pageant held in Rio de Janeiro¿s João Caetano Theatre
A contestant takes part in Miss Trans Brazil 2013
As the contestants made their way out onto the stage, their incredible figures resulted in a loud applause and cheers from the excited audience

As the contestants made their way out onto the stage, their incredible figures resulted in a loud applause and cheers from the excited audience

Proud to be transsexuals: The high cheeked sirens flaunted their feminine curves at the Miss Trans Brazil 2013 contest on Monday Proud to be transsexuals: The high cheeked sirens flaunted their feminine curves at the Miss Trans Brazil 2013 contest on Monday

 

The show has grown from fielding 19 candidates last year to one with 28 competitors representing 11 of Brazil’s states.

The show is sponsored by the government’s Social Assistance and Human Rights Department as part of the campaign to combat homophobic violence in the country.

Marchi, a 38-year-old, transvestite, is one of the driving forces in the country fighting to change society’s negative attitudes towards those who wish to live their lives as cross-dressers or as transgender women.

‘The beauty constant is essentially a political tool for us to draw attention to a section of the population that faces prejudice and is marginalised in Brazilian society on a daily basis,’ explains Marchi.

The victor can either undergo a sex change or have the best cosmetic facial and plastic surgery in the Far East countryThe victor can either undergo a sex change or have the best cosmetic facial and plastic surgery in the Far East country

 

‘There are still a lot of transvestites and transsexuals who suffer discrimination by being refused for a job, by not being able to use the name they choose for themselves, and by being the subject of homophobic violence and abuse,’ said Marchi with a hint of anger in her voice.

Behind the Miss Tran’s glamorous celebration is a dark underbelly of homophobic violence in Brazil with the alarming statistic of 1,341 homosexuals murdered (LGBT – Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) in the country between 2007 and December 2012, according to records held by Groupo Gay da Bahia (GGB), the oldest organisation of its kind in the country.

‘We need to bring in affirmative and inclusive public policies and to open the doors and eyes of society for the sake of transsexuals.

‘In the meantime we are making ourselves very visible and hard to ignore,’ Marchi adds resolutely.

Flaunting it: The show is sponsored by the government¿s Social Assistance and Human Rights Department as part of the campaign to combat homophobic violence in the countryFlaunting it: The show is sponsored by the government¿s Social Assistance and Human Rights Department as part of the campaign to combat homophobic violence in the country

 

Most of the candidates have jobs working in the beauty industry, as models and make-up artists.

But it would be wrong to conclude the competitors are only restricted to this area of employment. Sharing the catwalk are saleswomen, video editors, a psychologist and students.

The crown of Miss Trans Brazil 2013 was won by Raiica Ferraz, a stunning 21-year-old hairdresser from São Paulo who tells the Mail Online that from an early age she only ever played with dolls and at 17 she challenged the taboos in her school by dressing as a woman.

‘Everyone was shocked. They just stopped and starred. But I decided that this was what I wanted to do and no one was going to change my mind.

‘There was a bit of teasing, but because I was very confident, it didn’t affect me and they soon gave up out of boredom,’ said the 5ft 8in tall transvestite.

Most of the candidates have got jobs working in the beauty industry, as models and make-up artists Most of the candidates have got jobs working in the beauty industry, as models and make-up artists

At Monday night's event, there were representatives from the hospital in Thailand who would provide the surgery of choiceAt Monday night’s event, there were representatives from the hospital in Thailand who would provide the surgery of choice

 

As she accepted her prize to shouts of ‘gostosa, linda, maravilhosa’ (hot, beautiful, wonderful) Ferraz revealed she doesn’t want to do the transgender surgery but will opt for cosmetic procedures to make her face even more feminine.

‘I don’t need this operation, I already feel like a woman. I have been taking hormone tablets for more than four years now to create my curves and increase my bust size and I am really happy with the results,’ Ferraz says confidently.

‘I respect myself and because of that the people in my community and my family respect me. They are going to be so proud that I won,’ she adds.

Ferraz and the other contestants also have home-grown international trans-models to look up to. Brazil has recently seen a surge in the numbers of transgender models gracing the catwalk.

Six-foot-tall Felipa Tavares, who is signed to the 40 degrees international model agency that discovered top super model Gisele Bunchen, is paving the way as laws in Brazil, in recent years, become more favourable to tackling gay rights.
Read more: Daily Mail

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