Fola Francis (18 March 1994 – 20 December 2023) was a Nigerian
transgender
A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth.
The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
model, LGBTQIA+ activist and entrepreneur.
In 2022, she became the first trans model to walk the Lagos Fashion Week runway for Cute-Saint and Fruché. Her debut on the runway had ripple effects, with the Lagos Fashion Week's team deciding not to post any of her pictures.
Career and activism
Francis started her brand, Fola Francis, in 2018 as a way to deal with trauma from being
kitoed. Before then, she worked as a blogger and TV producer in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Francis constantly spoke out about trans and non-binary issues in Nigeria, and her voice was highlighted by the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
after the cross-dressing bill was introduced in the country, which she called scary and dangerous.
She actively participated in the Nigerian ballroom scene as host and queen of the Lagos ballroom scene and sought to replicate the feeling of safety, community, and positive representation
balls are known for.
In 2023, Francis appeared in her first role as an actress in ''14 Years And A Day'' an LGBTQ+ film by
Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim and Ayo Lawson. She also documented her journey as a trans woman on TikTok and was popularly known for her ''day in the life of a trans woman living in Nigeria'' videos.
Francis spoke on several LGBTQ+ panels, worked as an independent with several NGOs and queer organizations, and started Dolls Activities, a trans-focused initiative.
Death
On 20 December 2023, Fola Francis lost her life after drowning on a visit to a beach in Lagos, Nigeria.
See also
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Area Scatter – first known cross dresser in Nigeria
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Francis, Fola
1994 births
2023 deaths
21st-century Nigerian LGBTQ people
Nigerian transgender women
Transgender female models