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Japanââ¬â¢s first transsexual geisha
Geisha
London based woman becomes first transsexual accepted as a geisha in Japan
"The Japanese government has a policy which says if there's a female name on the passport then you may dress up as a geisha."
Mary Murdoch has become what is believed to be Japan’s first ever transsexual officially recognised as a geisha.
Since visiting Kyoto the 68 year-old from Greenwich said that it had always been her ambition to dress as a geisha.
Murdoch, who is a pre-op transsexual told the News Shopper:
"I was the first person to actually do this. They were very welcoming and put aside the normal rules for foreign tourists.
"Since then the Japanese government has a policy which says if there's a female name on the passport then you may dress up as a geisha."
Mary has been receiving gender realignment treatment at Charing Cross Hospital for four years, and is waiting for the final operation to complete.
Japan’s changing attitude towards transgender people has changed for the positive in recent years, with Aya Kamikawa becoming the first openly transgendered politician in 2003.
In 2004 laws were granted enabling transgender people to officially change their gender on family registers.
Geisha’s are female Japanese entertainers. Their skills include performing classical music and dance and other traditional Japanese arts.
In 2005 the film adaptation of Arthur Golden’s novel Memoirs of a Geisha achieved critical and public acclaim and earned itself three Oscars and numerous other prestigious awards.
