Twenty Summers

“The world makes you something that you’re not, but you know inside what you are.” Thus begins Geena Rocero’s earth-shifting TED Talk in March of 2014, a speech she wrote when the impulse to hide her truest self from the world—once deemed necessary—became unbearable. Born in 1983 in Manila, Geena began competing in local beauty pageants at the age of 15, winning local, then national adulation as she claimed trophy after trophy. With mounting fame came pressure and harsh criticism, and thus the necessity to harness the grit and strength of spirit that would ensure her continued ascent. From Filipina pageant queen to American model; from effeminate child dodging hateful taunts on the street, to transgender advocate imparting wisdom at the United Nations—this spring, Geena Rocero shares her singular journey in HORSE BARBIE: A Memoir (The Dial Press, 5/30/23). Born and raised in the Philippines, Geena Rocero is an award-winning producer, director, model, public speaker, trans rights advocate, and television host