Betty Vakalidou

Feres, Evros, Greece

Elisavet Vakalidou (known as Betty) (Ελισάβετ "Μπέττυ" Βακαλίδου, 1950) is a Greek transsexual, one of the best-known transgender people in Greece, who publicly displayed her identity and fought for the rights of homosexuals and transgender people. She participated in the founding of the first Greek homosexual movement in Greece, A.K.O.E. (Gay Liberation Movement of Greece), has written two autobiographical books and has appeared in theater and cinema. She was also nominated as "Person of the Year" (2007) during the "European Year of Equal Opportunities for All". Vakalidou has appeared in several Greek films and documentaries. Her first movie was "Betty" (1979) a 33-minute dramatized documentary of her life directed by Dimitris Stavrakas. The film, due to its subject matter, was left out of the competition section of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. It was first screened, along with other cut films, at a special screening of a cinema independent of the Festival. She also started on Strella (2009) which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Hellenic Film Academy Awards , “Olefs” (2021) by Paola Revenioti, The Seven Deaths of Antona (2022) by Bijoux de kant, "AKOE/THE STORY OF A REVOLUTION (TO SLEEP ON HIS BREAST)" and "Mahi", Directed by Elias Giannakakis (Source: Wikipedia)