I am a young woman of privilege. I am constantly grateful and astounded by opportunities I have been able to receive. From my upbringing in a household where manners and language were key, to the education that my parents worked incredibly hard to provide, to the school willing to give someone so frustrated by the limitations of my country's curriculum, I have tens of people to thanks for where I am today.
It started with my parents. My father was a man who found solace in a country without harsh winter or grey memories. I understand he came here and found friends among the people, work he wanted to do and the same friends found a way to keep him in this place long enough to find my mother. Admittedly, the love didn't last but it did leave the lasting effects of my brother and I. My mother's family have always been strong. Humble, hardworking people who never really made much money aside from what they needed but where constantly working for others be it in the community, through media or advocacy. These were people descended from stolen women of a country I have never been to but find myself now strangely tied to.
As I grew older, despite learning in a school of privilege, I has educators dedicated to moulding me, among my classmates, into a citizen of the world wanting to give back. I was even lucky enough to leave the city I have always lived in to see how those with so much less than me work so hard. It made me want to work harder for them, to create what I could to give them opportunities to be the best people they could be, to be vocal and empowering individuals.
Today, all that I have done and now my most recent endeavour was acknowledged in a room. Those among me were a mix of familiar faces and strangers. While I thought my presence would be unnoticed, something I prefer, I was acknowledged, pointed out to saying that I was there in my capacity to do what my family have done for generations, to tell stories.
This most recent endeavour is to create one of the first videos from the Pacific for an initiative to raise awareness about self-stigma that plagues the diverse community in our world. The youth-led initiative, the Loud and Proud Campaign, recently released a policy brief dealing with issues faced by the gay. bisexual, trans and MSM communities and the work now aims to educate the public about sexual diversity, educational institutions to advocate for the need to create safe environment for young MSM and young transgender persons to live their lives to their fullest potential with supportive legal protection.
Specifically looking at the example of the Adi Seinikau pageant as part of the annual Hibiscus Festival's festivities, I want to highlight the changes being pushed so hard for; transforming the spectacle of a drag show into a legitimate platform for change and awareness. Last year, crowned Adi Seinikau winner Benjamin Patel set the bar high. At today's afternoon tea for this year's contestants, Benji was emotional while sharing experiences from last year. Despite calls against the choice, the young transwoman with a disability, a practical approach to everyday dress and less than expected features, Benji has come out as one of the most amazing people I've ever has the chance to meet.
My first encounter was at the first Young Women's Forum. Willing to speak, strong in conviction, frustrated at expectations of dress and presentation, Benji stood out not because of appearance or otherwise to me, but because of the confident voice holding strong to raising issues and fostering sisterhood not just among the trans community, but among activists wherever they found themselves in the SOGIE spectrum.
Tomorrow is the event. While so often the most popular and financially successful, I know it has so much promise to become one of the most moving experiences in anyone's life. To stand on stage is a task all on its own. For many of the contestants it would have had to be a journey of surviving being confident in themselves and dealing with societal opposition to their equal recognition. These are women that have had to fight to be who they are and are itching at the chance of showing others who may be afraid, self-stigmatised and unsure that there is so much support for those facing hard times. Good luck, ladies.
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