http://www.lightstalkers.org/galleries/contact_sheet/12540 "Flores de Mayo" is a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honour of the Virgin Mary that usually has women as participants. This particular event we went to had transgendered participants instead of the usual women. The Philippines is still very much a highly religious Catholic country and the church has strongly opposed participation of transvestites in the "Santacruzan" flower festival held across the Philippines every May in honour of the Virgin Mary. Despite the discriminatory stance of the Catholic church, transgendered participants still push through with the event with the belief that they have every right to do so. http://www.lightstalkers.org en-us http://images.lightstalkers.org/avatars/44616/461317_3016058955429_1081249308_32951575_1094372398_o_small.jpg http://www.lightstalkers.org/John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557511/John33782_copy_small.jpg' /><br />A transvestite participant in the "Flores de Mayo", a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honour of the Virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, puts on make-up as he prepares for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008. The head of Manila's Roman Catholic Church has frowned on the participation of transvestites in the "Santacruzan" flower festival held across the Philippines every May in honour of the Virgin Mary.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557511'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557511 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:10 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557511 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557511/John33782_copy_small.jpg' /><br />A transvestite participant in the "Flores de Mayo", a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honour of the Virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, puts on make-up as he prepares for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008. The head of Manila's Roman Catholic Church has frowned on the participation of transvestites in the "Santacruzan" flower festival held across the Philippines every May in honour of the Virgin Mary.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557511'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557490/John33874_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557490'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557490 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:10 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557490 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557490/John33874_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557490'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557493/John33859_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557493'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557493 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:34:11 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557493 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557493/John33859_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557493'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557496/John33857_small.jpg' /><br />Transgendered participants for Flores de Mayo, a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honor of the virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, takes photos using a phone during the preparations for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008. REUTERS/John Javellana (PHILIPPINES)<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557496'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557496 Tue, 13 May 2008 15:19:00 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557496 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557496/John33857_small.jpg' /><br />Transgendered participants for Flores de Mayo, a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honor of the virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, takes photos using a phone during the preparations for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008. REUTERS/John Javellana (PHILIPPINES)<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557496'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557499/John33833_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557499'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557499 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:34:47 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557499 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557499/John33833_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557499'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557505/John33804_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557505'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557505 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:34:38 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557505 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557505/John33804_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557505'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557508/John33798_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557508'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557508 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:34:03 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557508 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557508/John33798_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557508'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557514/John33765_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557514'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557514 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557514 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557514/John33765_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557514'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557517/John33750_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557517'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557517 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557517 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557517/John33750_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557517'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557520/John33744_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557520'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557520 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557520 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557520/John33744_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557520'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557523/John33693_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557523'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557523 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557523 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557523/John33693_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557523'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557526/John33683_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557526'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557526 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557526 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557526/John33683_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557526'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557529/John33668_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557529'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557529 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557529 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557529/John33668_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557529'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557532/John33658_small.jpg' /><br />A staffer looks on as transgendered participants for Flores de Mayo, a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honor of the virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, prepare for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008. REUTERS/John Javellana (PHILIPPINES)<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557532'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557532 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557532 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557532/John33658_small.jpg' /><br />A staffer looks on as transgendered participants for Flores de Mayo, a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honor of the virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, prepare for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008. REUTERS/John Javellana (PHILIPPINES)<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557532'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557535/John33573_small.jpg' /><br /> <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557535'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557535 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557535 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557535/John33573_small.jpg' /><br /> <br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557535'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557538/John33517_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557538'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557538 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557538 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557538/John33517_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557538'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557541/John33508_small.jpg' /><br />Transgendered participants for Flores de Mayo, a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honor of the virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, prepare for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557541'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557541 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:09 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557541 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557541/John33508_small.jpg' /><br />Transgendered participants for Flores de Mayo, a local festival celebrated during the month of May in honor of the virgin Mary that usually has women as participants, prepare for the event in Quezon City, Metro Manila May 11, 2008.<br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557541'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557544/John33479_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557544'>view full-size image</a> http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557544 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:36:10 +0000 http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557544 <img src='http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/557544/John33479_small.jpg' /><br /><br /><a href='http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/557544'>view full-size image</a> John Javellana