Cheers, standing ovation at celebration of Georgina Beyer’s colourful life

The strength of the turnout for the celebration of trailblazing politician and public figure Georgina Beyer was a testament to her impact on so many people’s lives.

The tribute event at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington on Tuesday for the world’s first openly transgender MP, local body politician, actress and activist attracted over 500 people.

Event co-organiser Sheree Freeman said a wide range of people were there to honour Beyer “from friends, to politicians and actors and people who have admired her.

“It’s really quite touching that so many people have turned up.

“Everyone is really embracing it and enjoying hearing about her life, because maybe some people didn’t know her from the early days,” she said.

Beyer battled a serious illness for a long period and died on March 6 this year.

The celebration featured guest speakers including celebrities, parliamentary colleagues, show business figures and fellow activists sharing stories of their time with her.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Dame Catherine Healy spoke and there were tributes from such acting notables as Sir Ian McKellen.

Guests heard about Beyer’s early life in the 1960s and in the 70s, and there were clips from her 1980s movie, Jewel’s Darl.

The audience heard about her time as the mayor of Carterton, and her life in Parliament when she was instrumental in the passing of the civil union and prostitution reform bills.

“People are loving it. Lots of clapping, and tears, we had a standing ovation,” Freeman said.

One of the features of the celebration programme took the audience back to the early 2000s to revisit the video clip of her on the steps of Parliament confronting Brian Tamaki and Destiny Church.

“That got a lot of attention and cheers,” Freeman said.

She thought Beyer would have enjoyed the event, and seeing how much she had touched peoples’ lives.