PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Ai Haruna,
Transgender TV Personality
& Winner, Miss International Queen 2009

The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation

In October this year Ai Haruna became the first Japanese contestant to win the "Miss International Queen" transsexual beauty pageant. The 37-year old, born in Osaka, is well known for her impersonations of Japanese singers and the contest win underlined her beauty and contributed to the growing profile of the transgender community in Japan.

But despite a higher profile, Haruna told reporters after winning the contest that transsexuals in Japan "tend to be treated as oddballs and many remain reserved."

Despite the enactment of the Gender Identity Disorder Law in 2003, only a fraction of Japan's transgender community has changed their gender status on official registers and it remains something that many feel uncomfortable about.

At the FCCJ on December 3, we'll hear from Haruna directly about her win, her life and what it's like to be transgendered in Japan. If we're lucky, we may even get one of her famous impersonations.

MENU
Sandwich Plate: Poached salmon, egg, rocket, tomato, cucumber, dill mayonnaise, salad & pickles on
campagne.
Hot Plate: Black pepper & oregano grilled chicken with gremolata, red pepper sauce, couscous, broccoli, onion & capers, seasonal salad.

Ai Haruna, Winner, Miss International Queen 2009