The title of this recording is "Rani Ravudi". It was recorded in Wellington Town Hall, 101 Wakefield Street, Wellington on the 16th March 2011. Rani Ravudi is being interviewed by Jim Whitman.  Their names are spelt correctly but may appear incorrectly spelt later in the document. The duration of the recording is 12 minutes. A list of correctly spelt content keywords and tags can be found at the end of this document. A brief description of the recording is: In this podcast Rani Ravudi from Fiji talks about attending the human rights conference. The content in the recording covers the 2010s decade. A brief summary of the recording is: In a 12-minute podcast recorded at Wellington Town Hall, Rani Ravudi from Fiji shared insights into the complex landscape of LGBTQ+ rights and personal experiences at a human rights conference. The interview, conducted by Jim Whitman, tackled several significant issues, particularly concerning Fiji's political climate and its impact on LGBTQ+ rights. Ravudi spoke positively of recent legal advancements in Fiji, such as the re-inclusion of sexual orientation in the Fiji crime decree, which had previously been removed from the constitution. Despite this progress, Ravudi emphasized the need for greater public and authority awareness and education on issues of sexual orientation to prevent human rights abuses, especially by law enforcement. A stark reality was highlighted concerning the illiteracy and vulnerability among the transgender community in Fiji. Ravudi mentioned how familial rejection often leads to lack of education and exposure to police abuse. Ravudi's personal journey as a transgender individual was also shared, detailing the struggle of growing up in a religious village and facing attempts to change inherent identity. The turning point came with a decision to move to the city, embrace a trans identity, and for a time, engage in sex work mainly due to the lack of educational qualifications and job opportunities. Ravudi expressed a longstanding aspiration to become a lawyer, thwarted by the necessity to drop out of school. Though conducting sex work was not a preferred choice, it evolved into a space that met basic needs and facilitated survival. Concurrently, becoming a human rights activist, fighting for transgender and sex worker rights, has been a growing passion and an avenue where Ravudi feels significant contribution and fulfillment. Within the LGBTQ+ community back in Fiji, there appears to be limited visibility and recognition for trans men, partly due to the lack of medical support and specialized care for transitions, reflecting a wider issue of inadequate healthcare provisions for the community. Ravudi doesn't shy away from criticism or confrontation, especially within familial circles that previously promoted a gender identity inconsistent with Ravudi's own sense of self. In a heartwarming revelation, Ravudi's family has come to accept their identity. The interviewee operates a home that serves as a safe haven for other transgender individuals. Ravudi is involved in the transgender FA in Fiji and perceives beauty competitions as more than mere pageantry. For Ravudi and peers, these events serve as platforms for political statements and raising awareness about the existence and struggles of the transgender community. Ending the interview on a reflective and hopeful note, Ravudi expressed an affinity for Wellington and a desire to return for more meetings and advocacy work. In summary, Ravudi's interview with Whitman provides a candid look at life for transgender individuals in Fiji, revealing the tension between emerging legal protections, societal challenges, and the enduring quest for personal acceptance and self-actualization. It underscores the critical role of advocacy, community, and the ongoing struggle to educate and change societal attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights. The full transcription of the recording follows.  It includes timestamps every thirty seconds in the format [HH:MM:SS].  The transcription begins:  I'm finding it. Very, um, interesting and fruitful. I'm learning a lot. A lot of new things. Um, I'm meeting new people. I, um coming to this conference. I've met some people who I've met before, but then I've, uh, met some new people. It's always nice to meet new people because I get to learn new things and exchange ideas on how things are done. Fiji is a It's a difficult [00:00:30] place politically to live in. It has been for a long while. Oh, yeah, You can say that again. It's very difficult. But then, um, with our current government, there's some They've done some quite quite some good things which I liked, I think which I think is good. Like, um, for instance, uh, at one stage, they removed the right to sexual orientation from our constitution and, uh, about a year or a year and [00:01:00] a half ago, they had the new Fiji crime decree, and it it's it's mentioned there that everyone has the right to sexual orientation. So I that's with that I. I fully support the the the the the Fiji Government and I'm so happy that they've recognised that. But the thing is that, um, people need to understand what sexual orientation is the general public. Because with the issues faced by [00:01:30] LGBT people, I think people need to be aware of the law itself or the the authorities themselves. Because most of the time they are the ones inflicting the violence and violating the human rights of the citizens of Fiji with, uh, with me, Uh, I'm well equipped with my human rights as well. So when the police pick me up or they take me, so I give them I tell them what [00:02:00] I know. So that kind of makes them step back to and, um, um violate my human rights. But unfortunately, most of the trans people in my country are illiterate. This is due to a rejection from home at an early age, so they tend to drop out of school, run away, they don't finish school at all. And, uh, when they get picked up by the police, [00:02:30] they just They just let the police, uh, violate their human rights and abuse them. And that's that suggests a couple of things, really, that that a lot of trans people know very early on, and they try and be trans early on, and that's the point of rejection from from the family and family. And community is important normally anyway. [00:03:00] But I guess in a country like Fiji or Pacific culture, if there is one, makes you an outsider. An outcast, Yes. So that's why I went, uh, take me, for instance. Like I grew up in a in a village setting with a religious, um, with a strong religious background. And, um, when I was growing up, I was being feminine. People tried to mould me into something I'm not. They tried to [00:03:30] mould me, but they don't know who I am. I know who I am. Inside, they beat me up. They do all sorts of things to me. But that never changed me. And then one day I just got and well, I've got sick. I always get sick of it. But then one day, I could just couldn't take it anymore. And then I decided to run away to the city and, uh, live my life as a trans woman. And you met other trans people. I'm well when I ran away to the city, I met other trans people who were involved in the sex [00:04:00] industry. But since I was dropping out of school, no qualification, no job. So I tend to They took me under their wings and looked after me for a while. And that stopped you from starving? Yeah. It put a roof over my head, food on my table and, um, helped with my other needs and wants. Do you fail? You've had a proper choice in your occupation. It's not [00:04:30] that that sex work is wrong, but yeah. Would you have liked a better choice? Well, I've always to be a lawyer. I've always wanted to be a lawyer. I've always wanted to be a lawyer. But then when I when I, um, dropped out of school, I had no other choice, but that I did do sex work. And I've been doing it for a while. Um, I've got a I've kind of adapted to it, and then I I've kind of liked it and then doing human rights [00:05:00] activism like, I'm always fighting for transgenders and sex workers. I've kind of I kind of liked it. But if I if I was given the chance to go back and study I, I would Is there a chance of that, do you think? Uh, well, financially, I don't think so. But if I had if I if I was given the chance because, um, coming from Fiji, we we, uh it's, [00:05:30] uh the cost of living is very high. And to go into law school would be for me, especially. I would have to go back and do my foundation studies, because that's where I left it. Because that's where I dropped out to go back and do my foundation studies. Well, it's a challenge for me. Yes, If I I feel like if I stopped doing it now, who would Who would fight [00:06:00] for the rights of my other sisters? That's a big thing with you. And so coming to this conference has been part of that. And, um, like for for take, for instance, like the Trans Man, you know, it was I've always heard of trans men, but coming to this conference on the first day when we had the the I don't know, I had mixed feelings because I met all these [00:06:30] trans men and I think they were. They were they look so good. And it was the first chance for me or first time for me to get the chance to meet them. Because at back home we have We don't really have trans men. We have women who they are, sort of, uh, F to M trans. But they don't identify themselves as trans men because they just identify themselves as, uh, Bush Bush lesbians [00:07:00] May it's Maybe it's because, uh, if they had the the the hormo they had. If we had a specialist that specialised in the transition, for example hormonal intake, they would be happy to take it. I'm sure. I assure you that they will be happy to to take it. And maybe they would identify themselves as trans men, and the same goes for us to like For for us trans women, we just, uh, [00:07:30] go. And by the the the the tablets of the counter, we don't It's not monitored. There's no specialist monitoring it or anything. So and and do you find a lack of medical care for you? Yeah, definitely. There's There's no there's no, uh, special. Uh uh. Like I said, there's no specialist for trans health care with the medical profession. Try and change you. Do you think, uh, [00:08:00] they will try, but it's not gonna happen. Never. I'm happy with who I am. I'm comfortable. My family has come to accept me for for me being myself, they finally come to accept it for the last seven years. Seven years? Yeah. So that makes a big difference. Yes, they they they've come to finally accept me like I can go to my village dressed as who you are. Yes. And nobody will say [00:08:30] anything. Well, but then we I have I've had, uh uh, uh, quarrels and arguments with some people in the village. And I tell them I don't give a damn. I don't give my ass what you say because I don't. As long as my father and my mother, they understand me for who I am. That's all that matters. Who the hell are you? I've because when I was in the village one day, when I went to the village like my auntie because, like I said, I come from a very religious [00:09:00] background. My auntie came up to me and said, You know, you were born a man. You should be a man, blah, blah, blah. Look at your brothers and your sisters and your cousins. They all have kids. And I just said, Who are you? You don't tell me what to do. And I slammed the door on her face, and then she went and told my father that I was being rude, and my my dad just turned back and told her Just leave her alone. She's happy with what she is. That's all that matters. So you do now have a home, [00:09:30] don't you? Properly. Well, I don't really, uh, live with my my family. I live in I live in a I have a house in where my house in is like a safe haven for trans. Uh, trans women, trans women who workers like I have a two bedroom house, and sometimes I have 10 transgenders in my two bedroom house, so Yeah, but I've had, uh, such lovely neighbours, and they don't complain [00:10:00] at all. So you what you are and you're working. Human rights are very close together, aren't they? Yeah, it's very tightly part of your life. Um, Currently, um, I am I'm currently also the the the the reigning queen for the the national transgender FA in Fiji. So Yeah, so I'm doing both kind of advocating for trans transgenders and sex [00:10:30] workers as well. The competitions seem to mean something very different for you and other trans people, or it It's a They're not beauty. They're not beauty contests in the same way that, like in America, that they're more of an expression of political statement. Possibly, Uh, yes. I think it was a way of for our community [00:11:00] to create awareness to the people that we exist. People might come and to watch the show to laugh, have a laugh and go back home. But then, when they I think when they go back home, they they get a clear message that we are here, we exist. And sometimes in these competitions our issues are addressed as well. You Do you feel better valued [00:11:30] as a person as a result of the competitions and performance? Part of it? Yes. Definitely. Definitely matter of pride. And yes, uh, yes, I can understand that. Um, when do you leave? I'm leaving on the Sunday morning. Are you looking forward to leaving? Um, I think I'm falling in love with Wellington. Even though it's windy, it's cold. [00:12:00] I think I'm falling in love with Wellington and I look forward to coming back, and I look forward to, um, attending more meetings like this with trans people, especially a lot. A lot of my friends, brothers and my Trans sisters. The full transcription of the recording ends. A list of keywords/tags describing the recording follow. These tags contain the correct spellings of names and places which may have been incorrectly spelt earlier in the document. The tags are seperated by a semi-colon: 2010s ; Asia Pacific Outgames ; Asia Pacific Outgames (2011) ; David ; Fiji ; Hawaii ; Job ; LGBT ; Pacific ; People ; Rani Ravudi ; Wellington ; Wellington Town Hall ; abuse ; activism ; beauty ; bottom ; change ; choice ; community ; conference ; crime ; culture ; dance ; difference ; expression ; face ; family ; feelings ; food ; friends ; government ; growing up ; hell ; human rights ; law ; lawyer ; love ; march ; meetings ; occupation ; other ; outsider ; performance ; police ; queen ; rejection ; school ; sex ; sex work ; sexual orientation ; study ; suffering ; support ; time ; trans ; trans man ; transition ; urban ; violence ; women ; work. The original recording can be heard at this website https://www.pridenz.com/apog_rani_ravudi.html. The master recording is also archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, New Zealand.  For more details visit their website https://tiaki.natlib.govt.nz/#details=ecatalogue.1089478. Please note that this document may contain errors or omissions - you should always refer back to the original recording to confirm content.