Woman in the making

Rory O'Neill is Panti Bliss, Ireland's foremost 'gender discombobulist' and accidental activist. Rory first began performing as his alter-ego Panti when he was an art student in the late '80s before moving to Tokyo and becoming a fixture on the club scene there. Returning to Dublin in 1995, Panti ran some of Dublin's seminal club nights, hosted the legendary Alternative Miss Ireland for 18 years, and performed all over the world. Panti has written and performed three critically acclaimed, hit theatre shows: In These Shoes , All Dolled Up and A Woman in Progress . In 2013, All Dolled Up: Restitched , a re-imagining of her three hit shows, had a sold out run at the Abbey Theatre and toured Australia. She is also the landlady of Pantibar. Panti's creator Rory O'Neill is a champion of gay rights. Dressed with impeccable taste, done up to the nines, and wearing the best (synthetic!) wigs money can buy, he was synonymous with the campaign for equal marriage in Ireland - despite having no plans to wed. This is his first book.