For Christy Pune Brown who is competing as Miss Divas of Samoa in the Miss Health Fa’afafine international beauty pageant for 2015, the contest is more than just a pageant.
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Christy Pune Brown, who hails from the villages of Talimatau, Tulaele, Leauva'a, Moataa and Tiavea knows very well about the hardships of being a fa’afafine in Samoa.
“To me as a fa’afafine, I just want to expose how hard it is in the life of a fa’afafine and the lifestyle of a fa’afafine.
I just want them to see how fa’afafine’s cope with life,” he said.
Behind the extravagant costumes of glitter, colourful dresses and entertaining floor shows the public have been accustomed to seeing from Fa’afafine, Christy wishes to shed light on the other side of fa’afafine life. Asked what challenges he and fellow fa’afafine have faced,he said: “The challenge that I see nowadays are that people are being judgemental to us. My only plea to those people is that we are also humans and were created by God.We are not animals.”
Christy also wants the wider public to know that fa’afafine are like everyone else with dreams and aspirations. Christy works for the Samoa Airport Authority as an air traffic control assistant.
She also hopes entering the pageant will open many doors for himself and other young Lesbian, Gay, Bi sexual and Transgender people.
Asked what advice he would offer young people, he said:
“Go to school educate yourself well, to a high standard at university then you can come and join the fa’afafine association. They can help assist you in your chosen career.”
The Miss Health Fa’afafine international Beauty Pageant will be held at the Sogi E.F.K.S hall this Friday.
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