Talleen Abu Hanna, a resident of Israel was born in a “mans” body. Since a young age, Talleen knew that she was different. During her teen years, she had begun to express herself in a variety of new ways. She would steal clothing and makeup from her mother and sister so that when she would go out to social gatherings or parties, she would be able to do so as herself and not in the body “god” had given to her.
At the age of 15, she met a woman who like her was trapped in a “mans” body, only this woman had undergone a procedure to make the switch. Talleen could not believe such a thing even existed. She was all for it. The only problem that remained was what her parents would think about her transition. Unfortunately they did not take it well. Living in a place like Tel Aviv, which is a very conservative Palestinian society, being accepted in cases such as this one are not likely and for Hanna that was reality.
Now, Talleen has went on to become Israel’s first transgender beauty queen. However, she is not stopping there as she will enter the international transgender beauty pageant. Though she remains without any contact with her father, she says “My father should be proud of me, my father is the father of Miss Trans Israel”.
