World's first trans MP to speak in Vancouver Q & A / NZ decriminalized prostitu

[Shana A]

World's first trans MP to speak in Vancouver
Q & A / NZ decriminalized prostitution 7 years ago and 'the sky hasn't fallen in': Beyer
Jeremy Hainsworth / Vancouver / Thursday, September 30, 2010

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/Worlds_first_trans_MP_to_speak_in_Vancouver-9219.aspx

New Zealand's Georgina Beyer is the first transgendered person to be elected to a national parliament. She's in Vancouver to speak at a forum on Oct 2 hosted by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, CUPE BC, the BC Government and Service Employees' Union and Egale Canada.

Xtra: How did you, an openly trans woman, get elected to Parliament?

Georgina Beyer: I'd just served six years as mayor in the area where I lived. I was tapped. I said "no" quite a few times. They were insistent. I was elected legitimately; it wasn't a free pass. It wasn't just my achievement; it was an achievement of my electorate.

[CharlieTrance]

As a New Zealander, born and raised, I am proud of her and my country. Growing up I never saw any major discrimination and the queer comunity as a whole is supported.
This year a national radio presenter had the guts to tell the country he's gay and has been seeing his boyfriend for seven years. There was very few complaints to witch the radio station said; "good luck in finding any radio station that has no gay presenters." He also recently made the weekend paper as he got engaged to his boyfriend.
There is still people against these issues, no ones perfect, but it's largely overshadowed by the positive.