麻豆社

Across Britain transgender women are competing in a pageant with a difference. Over 40 women will battle it out to be crowned the UK鈥檚 first Miss Transgender. But they鈥檙e not just fighting for first place, they're battling to be accepted as the women they were born to be. Fed up of living in the shadows and determined to take centre stage, we follow three contestants on their extraordinary personal journeys, exploring what it鈥檚 really like to be young and transgender in Britain today.

22-year-old Jai has been living as a woman for just two months and of all the contestants is at the earliest stage of her transition. Jai鈥檚 determined to win, but she鈥檚 worried because she鈥檚 up against girls with feminine figures, while she still has to rely on stuffing her bra and shaving to keep her five o鈥檆lock shadow in check. For Jai entering the competition is a step towards being recognised as the woman she鈥檚 struggled to become.

Courtney has been working on-and-off as an escort and web-cam girl since she was a teenager, but she wants to leave that life behind. Despite the stigma, she wants to use the competition to speak out about how young trans women can get trapped in the sex industry.

28-year-old Fay from Newcastle is one of only a handful of post-op contestants in the competition. She wants to use the 拢5000 prize money to help fulfil her lifelong dream of becoming a Mum. Fay had her sperm frozen before transitioning and winning the money would help kick-start her fund for a surrogate.