Ms Georgina Beyer

Georgina Beyer is a member of the New Zealand Parliament

Georgina Beyer was born in 1957 in New Zealand, part Maori. She worked as a stripper and prostitute in Wellington and Sydney before undergoing a full sex change. Ms Beyer then worked as an actor, publicist and broadcaster. She was elected Carterton District Councillor in 1993 and Mayor in 1995. Georgina became the world’s first transgender Member of Parliament in 1999 and was re-elected in 2002. An internationally-known advocate for Gay and Lesbian rights, she believes all genuine and honest people should have equal opportunity to strive and achieve.

As a result of Georgina’s election and the ensuing intense media focus, Georgina’s life became the subject of the documentary Georgie Girl. Georgie Girl has screened on POV in America (an audience of 250 million), on CBC Canada, Channel 4 in the UK, Scotland, Ireland and SBS in Australia, amongst many other countries throughout the world.