Joey Joleen Mataele is an activist for the rights of transgender women from Tonga.[1]
Joey Joleen Mataele | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Tonga |
| Occupation(s) | Campaigner Executive Director International Representative Chairperson |
| Organization | Tonga Leitis' Association - TLA |
| Known for | Transgender and LGBTQ+ campaigning and advocacy |
| Movement | Transgender Women and LGBT rights movement |
Activism
editIn 1992, Mataele co-founded the Tonga Leitis Association, and became its executive director. She is also the Pacific Island Representative on the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association Executive Board and Chairperson of the South Pacific MSM (Men Who Have Sex with Men) Network Group.[2]
In 1993, Mataele founded the Miss Galaxy Queen Pageant as an annual event to celebrate the diversity and creativity of fakaleitis and the LGBTQI community in Tonga.
Mataele is also the co-founder of the Pacific Sexual Diversity Network, which was established in 2007 during the Pacific Games in Samoa. The organisation includes members from Fiji, Samoa, the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea, and aims to work together to gain a stronger voice at regional and international gatherings.[3]
Mataele is the subject of the feature documentary film Leitis in Waiting.
Honour and award
editHonour
edit
Tonga: Knight of the Order of Sālote Tupou III[4]
Award
edit
United Kingdom: Recipient of the Daily Points of Light Award[5]
References
edit- ^ Munro, Peter (2015-08-25). "Transgendered Tongan 'leitis' finding their way in the conservative country". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
- ^ "Joey Joleen Mataele". Pacific Community. 2017-08-28. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
- ^ "Giving a voice to Pacific sexual minorities at AIDS 2014". www.radioaustralia.net.au. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
- ^ "Royal orders presented at Palace". August 2008.
- ^ "Joey Joleen Mataele".