Driven with a mission to pursue healthcare access to the members of the LGBTQ community in Negros Occidental, the Negros TransQueen Organization is anchored on the principles of equality and diversity, two of the many advocacies they champion in this side of the country.
Established in 2015 to primarily educate the grassroots on HIV/Aids, the group has slowly expanded to tapping the involvement of sectors that play big roles in sharing their vision. This includes local governments, schools, health groups, charity institutions, and the youth.
The core group directly took on the role of being a support group for individuals affected by the virus.
The founders have exhausted means and connections to provide assistance for their members.
Silay City, for one, has registered a huge chunk in the apparent HIV/Aids reported cases in the province.
With this, the group of Silaynons took it upon themselves to serve as a "task force" to help persons living with HIV. A task they find fulfilling in every inch of the word as the group values unity and family, a fitting stance in growing number of HIV/Aids cases around the globe.
Meanwhile, raising funds to finance the advocacy proved to be a great hurdle. That is why, in the spirit of community while highlighting the ingenuity of its members, the NTQ is staging the 2nd Negros TransQueen Pageant on May 26, 7:30 p.m. at the Silay public plaza covered court.
Proceeds of the event will support its ongoing roster of programs specifically designed to attend to the needs of the growing LGBTQ community in Negros.
In line with the advocacy pageant, a symposium on HIV/Aids is slated back to back with a public screening and testing. A parade of beauties dubbed as "Flora Parada" will also showcase the creativity of its members in costume designing and fashion.
With the idea of beauty drastically changing over time, a queen like no other surely emerges from the ranks of our transgender. She may be all these and probably more, but one thing remains certain, she is a strong person who has convinced the world that beauty is never defined by rules.