Sex-swap beauty bids to be this year's Miss Coventry

[dutchman]

A transgender contestant is bidding to win the Miss Coventry beauty queen competition.

Brave Jordan Davis, who lived as a boy until a year ago, says she’s determined to make a mark on the competition - despite being subjected to death threats.

Jordan, 17, of Radford, has reached the final 15 of Miss Coventry after triumphing over more than 300 other girls in the area.

She is the first ever transgender contestant in the Miss Coventry competition and only the second regional transgender contestant in the history of Miss England.

She follows Jackie Green, from Leeds, who reached the Miss England final in 2012.

Despite only reaching the final days ago, Jordan has already been subjected to vile internet abuse with some people even threatening to kill her.

But the Henley College student said the taunts only strengthened her resolve.

She said: “I wanted to give a voice, provide advocacy and become a role model for the transgender community.

“I have threatened to drop out several times because of the abuse I have received on social networking sites. I had to close my askfm account down because I was getting death threats.

"I was expecting it, but I wasn’t expecting it to be quite as bad.

“I felt it was important to make a stand. To say you can define beauty in many ways. You don’t have to look or be a certain way to be beautiful.”

Despite the challenges, Jordan said the competition has provided her with a confidence boost and she is pleased to be involved.

“The view that these shows are outdated and sexist are rubbish,” she said.

“I have had great support from the organisers and the other girls. It helps confidence, self image and self worth and it has helped me to learn to love myself.

"I may not have been born a girl, but I am no less female than the rest of the girls.”

Jordan said she would encourage others in a similar position to follow in her footsteps.

“Don’t be afraid and don’t waste your life,” she said. “Don’t waste a day, because a day turns into months, months into years and you will regret it.

“Be yourself, if people can’t accept you for who you are, that’s their problem. You need to hold your head high.”

The Miss Coventry Final will be held on Saturday, March, at Bedworth Liberal Club, in King Street, from 7pm. The winner will compete for the Miss England crown.

Tickets cost £20 for adults and £5 for children. Contact Diane Slater on 07967 818439 for tickets.

[dutchman]

Runner-up of this year's Miss Coventry will be crowned Miss Nuneaton

The winner of Miss Coventry will be unveiled during the competition in Bedworth on March 22.

In an unusual twist, the runner-up for the competition will be crowned as Miss Nuneaton.

The final 15 contestants will compete to win the crown at Bedworth Liberal Club, in King Street, in front of a special panel of judges.

The winner will go to the final of Miss England, while the runner-up will advance to the semi-final of the competition.

A special text vote is also being held, with the winner earning the title of Miss Popularity and also advancing to the semi-final of the Miss England contest.

There are three rounds to the competition with the first taking on an anti-bullying theme. The second will revolve around an environmental theme.

[dutchman]

Miss Coventry 2014: Transgender contestant Jordan Davis pulls out of contest

A transgender contestant in this year's Miss Coventry beauty contest withdrew from the final at the last minute after she suffered excessive online bullying.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan Davis, who would have been the competition's first transgender contestant, had suffered "horrendous" bullying at the hands of online trolls, organisers said.

Diane Slater, who organised the competition at Bedworth Liberal Club, said: “It was sad that Jordan felt she had to withdraw.

“Some of the online bullying she has had has been horrendous.

“We have been there to support her throughout, and we have encouraged her to do it, but I think she has just felt overwhelmed with everything she is going through.

“I would like to get my hands on those responsible. These people do it anonymously and it really is awful.

“I would encourage her to come back and do it again next year, we would welcome her with open arms.”

Radford teenager Jordan, who until last year had lived her life as a boy, told the Telegraph that she was prepared to defy the online death threats she had received.