Enza Anderson
Encyclopedia
Enza "Supermodel" Anderson (born in 1964 in Toronto
) is a Canadian
transgender
political activist and media personality.
, living near Jane and Finch
with an Italian-Catholic father.
She initially attended York University
to study geography
but left due to a combination of lack of interest in the subject and her mother becoming sick. After a one-year hiatus, she attended Seneca College
where she studied civil engineering and technologies.
In 1995 she got a job at a hair salon on Yonge Street
, which called for her to hand out flyers for the salon to pedestrians in drag
. It was during that job that a photo of her kissing then-mayor Mel Lastman
ended up on the front cover of the Toronto Sun
, marking the start of her career in the public eye.
Anderson wrote a social column, "The Hot Ticket", for Canada’s highest circulated free daily newspaper, Metro Toronto. She also divides her work schedule at the Bank of Montreal
assisting clients as a financial services manager.
In 2000, Anderson ran for mayor of Toronto
. Although the eventual winner of that campaign, Mel Lastman, won over 80 per cent of the vote, Anderson garnered 13,585 votes, placing third behind Lastman and Tooker Gomberg
. She was one of the few candidates besides Lastman, Gomberg and Ben Kerr
to gain widespread name recognition in the race, even though her campaign largely consisted of standing on downtown street corners with a handmade placard bearing the slogan "A Super City Deserves a Super Model!".
In 2002, Anderson ran for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance
. She was unable to raise the $25,000 required by the party to register as a candidate, and dropped out of the race before the convention which ultimately chose Stephen Harper
.
In the 2003 municipal election in Toronto
, Anderson ran for a city council seat against incumbent Kyle Rae
and placed second, though she was not considered to be a serious threat against him.
She ran and lost in the same ward in the 2010 municipal election
.
, covering local entertainment and party gossip since 2004, after she pitched the idea of her doing a column to the editor-in-chief, bringing a mocked-up version of one of her articles complete with Metro banner. She was also a fully clothed guest interviewer in the male version of Naked News
.
She was the subject of a 2003 documentary by Carlos Valencia named A Man in a Dress, and was also interviewed speaking about her spirituality
on Vision TV
's Credo.
Anderson was chosen as grand marshall of Toronto's 2008 Pride Parade
.
.
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
political activist and media personality.
Early life and education
Born male with the forename Enzo, she grew up in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, living near Jane and Finch
Jane and Finch
Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood located in northwestern North York, a district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The area is roughly bounded by Highway 400 to the west, Driftwood Avenue to the east, Grandravine Drive to the south, and Shoreham Drive to the north...
with an Italian-Catholic father.
She initially attended York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
to study geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
but left due to a combination of lack of interest in the subject and her mother becoming sick. After a one-year hiatus, she attended Seneca College
Seneca College
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a Canadian public college in the greater Toronto area. Seneca College is currently Canada's largest college with approximately 108,000 students.-History:...
where she studied civil engineering and technologies.
Early career
After graduation she worked as the quality control supervisor of a concrete pipe-manufacturing plant, but was laid off after five years. She then worked part-time as a bartender at Woody's.In 1995 she got a job at a hair salon on Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
, which called for her to hand out flyers for the salon to pedestrians in drag
Drag (clothing)
Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
. It was during that job that a photo of her kissing then-mayor Mel Lastman
Mel Lastman
Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman , nicknamed "Mayor Mel", is a former businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other...
ended up on the front cover of the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
, marking the start of her career in the public eye.
Anderson wrote a social column, "The Hot Ticket", for Canada’s highest circulated free daily newspaper, Metro Toronto. She also divides her work schedule at the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
assisting clients as a financial services manager.
Politics
Toronto municipal election, 2000
The Toronto municipal election of 2000, dubbed "Toronto Vote 2000" was the municipal and school board election held in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2000.Elections were held to elect:* the Mayor of Toronto,* councillors for each of Toronto's 44 wards,* trustees...
. Although the eventual winner of that campaign, Mel Lastman, won over 80 per cent of the vote, Anderson garnered 13,585 votes, placing third behind Lastman and Tooker Gomberg
Tooker Gomberg
Tooker Gomberg was a Canadian politician and environmental activist.A native of Montreal, Quebec and a liberal-arts graduate of Hampshire College , Gomberg founded one of Canada's first curbside recycling programs in Montreal, and later moved to Edmonton, Alberta, where he created educational...
. She was one of the few candidates besides Lastman, Gomberg and Ben Kerr
Ben Kerr
Ben Kerr was a Canadian author, broadcaster, musician and perennial candidate, who was most famous as one of Toronto, Ontario's quirky street performers.-Background:...
to gain widespread name recognition in the race, even though her campaign largely consisted of standing on downtown street corners with a handmade placard bearing the slogan "A Super City Deserves a Super Model!".
In 2002, Anderson ran for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
. She was unable to raise the $25,000 required by the party to register as a candidate, and dropped out of the race before the convention which ultimately chose Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
.
In the 2003 municipal election in Toronto
Toronto municipal election, 2003
The Toronto municipal election of 2003 was held on November 10, 2003, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to elect the Mayor of Toronto, 44 city councillors, and school board trustees.David Miller was elected mayor ....
, Anderson ran for a city council seat against incumbent Kyle Rae
Kyle Rae
Kyle Rae is a former Canadian politician. He was a city councillor for Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale in Toronto, Ontario from 1991 to 2010. Rae is now a self-described consultant.-Politics:...
and placed second, though she was not considered to be a serious threat against him.
She ran and lost in the same ward in the 2010 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2010
The 2010 Toronto municipal election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect a mayor and 44 city councillors in Toronto, Canada. In addition, school trustees were elected to the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest and...
.
Media
Anderson has a column in the Toronto newspaper MetroMetro International
Metro International is a Swedish media company based in Luxembourg that publishes the Metro newspapers. Metro International's advertising sales have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 41% since launch of the first newspaper edition in 1995. It is a freesheet, meaning that distribution is...
, covering local entertainment and party gossip since 2004, after she pitched the idea of her doing a column to the editor-in-chief, bringing a mocked-up version of one of her articles complete with Metro banner. She was also a fully clothed guest interviewer in the male version of Naked News
Naked News
Naked News, billing itself as "the program with nothing to hide", is a subscription website featuring a real television newscast. The show is prepared in Toronto and runs daily, with 25-minute episodes 6 days per week. The female anchors read the news fully nude or strip as they present their news...
.
She was the subject of a 2003 documentary by Carlos Valencia named A Man in a Dress, and was also interviewed speaking about her spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
on Vision TV
Vision TV
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic....
's Credo.
Anderson was chosen as grand marshall of Toronto's 2008 Pride Parade
Pride Week (Toronto)
Pride Week is a ten-day event held in Toronto, Canada, during the end of June each year. It is a celebration of the diversity of the LGBT community in the Greater Toronto Area. It is one of the largest organized gay pride festivals in the world, featuring several stages with live performers and...
.
Community activism
Anderson served as a board member of the Church and Wellesley Neighbourhood Police Liaison Committee. Her two years as Pride Committee Co-chair of Fundraising helped raise record amounts needed to cover festival costs. She put in many fundraising hours for the AIDS Committee of Toronto and its signature fundraising event Fashion Cares. Anderson helped bring awareness of support groups like the People With AIDS Foundation and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Youth Support Line. She serves on the Federation of Metro Tenants' AssociationsFederation of Metro Tenants' Associations
The Federation of Metro Tenants' Associations is a non-profit tenants' advocacy and service organization in Toronto, Ontario founded in 1974...
.
Election results
| 2010 Toronto election Toronto city council election, 2010 For information on the campaign for mayor see Toronto mayoral election, 2010The 2010 Toronto council election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect councillors to represent Toronto's 44 wards at Toronto City Council... , Ward 27 |
||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Kristyn Wong-Tam | 7,527 | 28.277% |
| Ken Chan | 7,065 | 26.541% |
| Chris Tindal | 3,447 | 12.949% |
| Simon Wookey | 2,128 | 7.994% |
| Joel Dick | 1,667 | 6.262% |
| Robert Meynell | 1,223 | 4.594% |
| Enza Anderson | 1,127 | 4.234% |
| Ella Rebanks | 838 | 3.148% |
| Ben Bergen | 380 | 1.428% |
| Susan Gapka | 367 | 1.379% |
| Gary Leroux | 283 | 1.063% |
| Paul Spence | 243 | 0.913% |
| Jonas Jemstone | 142 | 0.533% |
| Ram Narula | 108 | 0.406% |
| Perry Missal | 74 | 0.278% |
| Total | 26,619 | 100% |
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM
External links
- Enza Anderson - Field Reporter for NakedNewsDailyMale