Miriam Rivera (1981 – 5 February 2019), known by the mononymMiriam, was a Mexican-born transgender model and TV personality, who resided in New York City, who became known for starring on the British reality television show There's Something About Miriam and guesting on Big Brother Australia 2004. She became recognized as the first openly transgender reality television star.[2] Rivera also modelled and, using the name Victoria, performed in pornography.[3]
Miriam was an activist and spokesmodel for the transgender community.
She was found dead in February 2019 at her apartment in Sonora, Mexico. She was deemed to have died by suicide, but her husband believed she had been murdered.[2]
In 2021, Wondery published an investigative podcast series into Rivera's life and her appearance on the show There's Something About Miriam titled Harsh Reality.[4] In June 2022, a similar three-part documentary series, called Miriam: Death of a Reality Star, was commissioned by Channel 4 from Expectation Entertainment.[3][5][6]
Rivera was born in 1981 in Mexico. She was assigned male at birth and desired a gender confirming surgery at the age of four. She said that while her three brothers liked baseball, she preferred Barbie dolls.[7] Rivera said strangers assumed she was a girl:
They used to come to my mother and say, "Oh you have a beautiful daughter", and my mother used to say "That's my son", and I used to get angry. [8]
Rivera said she soon started taking hormones. She told reporters she came out after being suspended from school at age 12, and her family was supportive.[9]
Remy Blumenfeld first saw Rivera participating in a girl band, after which he planned to cast her in a TV show that was later released as There's Something About Miriam.[10] She was filmed in Ibiza for There's Something About Miriam in 2003, but the show's airdate was delayed until out-of-court settlement of litigation by contestants in 2004. It originally aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1 in February 2004. Hosted by Tim Vincent, it featured six men wooing Rivera without revealing that she was transgender until the final episode. Rivera enjoyed the attention she received following the show.[11]
After the high ratings for the show, she was cast as a guest on Big Brother Australia 2004, also produced by Endemol. A documentary about her life was commissioned but not aired.[12]
She stated she never planned to have sex reassignment surgery, citing concerns about complications or loss of sensation.[8] She said, "My mother always says to me, 'Why would you want to be half-and-half? Why don't you want to be a complete woman?' But I just love myself and I'm really enjoying my life."[13]
The New York Post reported that Rivera was seriously injured in 2007 when she was thrown out of a third-story window at her home.[14] Rivera later told reporters she fell out of a fourth-story window while trying to escape a burglar.[15] In 2008, she was a special guest on Ewa Drzyzga's TVN show Rozmowy w toku in Poland. In more recent years, Rivera was active in Manhattan's ball culture.[16]
Personal life and death
Rivera was married to Daniel Cuervo, with whom she lived in New York City.[16] She was found dead on 5 February 2019, in her apartment in Mexico.[10] Her death was confirmed by Cuervo in a Facebook post and received news coverage six months later.[2][10] Her death was classified as suicide by hanging by the police, but Cuervo believes she was murdered. Cuervo received a death threat from someone who told him to "never come back to Mexico" and not to prepare her funeral.[16]
^. El Manana (in Spanish). 21 February 2009. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Miriam es mexicana y es de Hermosillo
^ abcdefMerrett, Robyn (9 August 2019). "Miriam Rivera, the First Openly Trans Reality Star, Dead at 38". People.
^ ab"Channel 4 commissions Miriam: Death of a Reality Star (W/T) | Channel 4".
^Ramachandran, Naman (17 November 2021). "Trans Reality TV Star Miriam Rivera's Show Is Subject of Investigative Series From 'Dr. Death' Podcast Studio Wondery (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 29 November 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"Channel 4 commissions Miriam: Death of a Reality Star (W/T) | Channel 4".
^"There's Something About Miriam's Legacy Explored by Channel 4". 28 June 2022.
^ Rachael Popow, Press Association, 25 February 2004.
^ abMiriam, There's something about Miriam, Episode 1, (aired February 22, 2004).
^Agencia Reforma (28 August 2004). La transexual mas bella del planeta según revista anglosajona. New Magazine.
^ abc"Miriam Rivera, reality TV's first trans star, found dead at 38". BBC News. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
^. BBC. 20 February 2004. Archived from the original on 5 December 2004.
^Mutel, Glen (19 February 2004). Miriam prepares to bare all in doc about 'her' life.Broadcast
^Johnson, Richard; Froelich, Paula; Hoffmann, Bill; Steindler, Corynne (4 October 2007). . New York Post. p. 1. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013.
^Nichols, Mackenzie (9 August 2019). "Miriam Rivera, First Transgender Reality TV Star, Dies at 38". Variety. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
^ abc"Miriam Rivera, first transgender reality TV star, dead at 38". Fox News. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
^"Fox Reality to debut UK's 'There's Something About Miriam' October 31". Reality TV World. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
^"Merlin's silent protest". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
miriam, rivera, 1981, february, 2019, known, mononym, miriam, mexican, born, transgender, model, personality, resided, york, city, became, known, starring, british, reality, television, show, there, something, about, miriam, guesting, brother, australia, 2004,. Miriam Rivera 1981 5 February 2019 known by the mononym Miriam was a Mexican born transgender model and TV personality who resided in New York City who became known for starring on the British reality television show There s Something About Miriam and guesting on Big Brother Australia 2004 She became recognized as the first openly transgender reality television star 2 Rivera also modelled and using the name Victoria performed in pornography 3 Miriam RiveraBorn1981 1981 Mexico 1 Died5 February 2019 2019 02 05 aged 37 38 2 Hermosillo Sonora Mexico 2 Other namesMiriamMiriam XtravaganzaMiriam D AboVictoriaOccupationsModelactressreality television personalityHeight5 ft 7 in 1 70 m SpouseDaniel Cuervo 2 Miriam was an activist and spokesmodel for the transgender community She was found dead in February 2019 at her apartment in Sonora Mexico She was deemed to have died by suicide but her husband believed she had been murdered 2 In 2021 Wondery published an investigative podcast series into Rivera s life and her appearance on the show There s Something About Miriam titled Harsh Reality 4 In June 2022 a similar three part documentary series called Miriam Death of a Reality Star was commissioned by Channel 4 from Expectation Entertainment 3 5 6 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Personal life and death 3 Filmography 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksLife and career EditRivera was born in 1981 in Mexico She was assigned male at birth and desired a gender confirming surgery at the age of four She said that while her three brothers liked baseball she preferred Barbie dolls 7 Rivera said strangers assumed she was a girl They used to come to my mother and say Oh you have a beautiful daughter and my mother used to say That s my son and I used to get angry 8 Rivera said she soon started taking hormones She told reporters she came out after being suspended from school at age 12 and her family was supportive 9 Remy Blumenfeld first saw Rivera participating in a girl band after which he planned to cast her in a TV show that was later released as There s Something About Miriam 10 She was filmed in Ibiza for There s Something About Miriam in 2003 but the show s airdate was delayed until out of court settlement of litigation by contestants in 2004 It originally aired in the United Kingdom on Sky1 in February 2004 Hosted by Tim Vincent it featured six men wooing Rivera without revealing that she was transgender until the final episode Rivera enjoyed the attention she received following the show 11 After the high ratings for the show she was cast as a guest on Big Brother Australia 2004 also produced by Endemol A documentary about her life was commissioned but not aired 12 She stated she never planned to have sex reassignment surgery citing concerns about complications or loss of sensation 8 She said My mother always says to me Why would you want to be half and half Why don t you want to be a complete woman But I just love myself and I m really enjoying my life 13 The New York Post reported that Rivera was seriously injured in 2007 when she was thrown out of a third story window at her home 14 Rivera later told reporters she fell out of a fourth story window while trying to escape a burglar 15 In 2008 she was a special guest on Ewa Drzyzga s TVN show Rozmowy w toku in Poland In more recent years Rivera was active in Manhattan s ball culture 16 Personal life and death EditRivera was married to Daniel Cuervo with whom she lived in New York City 16 She was found dead on 5 February 2019 in her apartment in Mexico 10 Her death was confirmed by Cuervo in a Facebook post and received news coverage six months later 2 10 Her death was classified as suicide by hanging by the police but Cuervo believes she was murdered Cuervo received a death threat from someone who told him to never come back to Mexico and not to prepare her funeral 16 Filmography EditThere s Something About Miriam 2003 Brighter Pictures 17 Big Brother Australia 2004 2004 Endemol 18 TV Burp 2004 Rove Live 2004 Good Morning Australia 2004 See also EditLGBT culture in New York City List of LGBT people from New York CityReferences Edit Goza transexual mexicano popularidad en Europa Sabado El Manana in Spanish 21 February 2009 Archived from the original on 22 March 2009 Miriam es mexicana y es de Hermosillo a b c d e f Merrett Robyn 9 August 2019 Miriam Rivera the First Openly Trans Reality Star Dead at 38 People a b Channel 4 commissions Miriam Death of a Reality Star W T Channel 4 Ramachandran Naman 17 November 2021 Trans Reality TV Star Miriam Rivera s Show Is Subject of Investigative Series From Dr Death Podcast Studio Wondery EXCLUSIVE Variety Retrieved 29 November 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Channel 4 commissions Miriam Death of a Reality Star W T Channel 4 There s Something About Miriam s Legacy Explored by Channel 4 28 June 2022 Dinner Date Miriam Rachael Popow Press Association 25 February 2004 a b Miriam There s something about Miriam Episode 1 aired February 22 2004 Agencia Reforma 28 August 2004 La transexual mas bella del planeta segun revista anglosajona New Magazine a b c Miriam Rivera reality TV s first trans star found dead at 38 BBC News 9 August 2019 Retrieved 9 August 2019 Miriam s glad to be recognised BBC 20 February 2004 Archived from the original on 5 December 2004 Mutel Glen 19 February 2004 Miriam prepares to bare all in doc about her life Broadcast Miriam Opts Out Of Op Sky One Johnson Richard Froelich Paula Hoffmann Bill Steindler Corynne 4 October 2007 Miriam ducks miriam bow New York Post p 1 Archived from the original on 18 January 2013 Nichols Mackenzie 9 August 2019 Miriam Rivera First Transgender Reality TV Star Dies at 38 Variety Retrieved 12 August 2019 a b c Miriam Rivera first transgender reality TV star dead at 38 Fox News 10 August 2019 Retrieved 3 December 2019 Fox Reality to debut UK s There s Something About Miriam October 31 Reality TV World Retrieved 10 August 2019 Merlin s silent protest The Sydney Morning Herald 14 June 2004 Retrieved 10 August 2019 External links EditMiriam Rivera at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Miriam Rivera amp oldid 1132015887, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
