(Photo by Syd London)

September 11th was a night I will never forget as a ran as Miss Butch Mamas and was crowned Miss Lez 2009. For this Asian girl, growing up knowing I was some type of queer, I never imagined I could ever have the opportunity to even enter any type of Pageant. Watching the "typical" beauty pageants as a kid, made me uncomfortable because I knew was not comfortable presenting in "feminine" female beauty. I thank Murray Hill and his team and all the wonderful contestants and audience participants for letting me be part of this event. This event made and continues to make me feel beautiful and proud just the way I am,... validated and accepted as a strong butch queer woman.