Estelle Asmodelle

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Estelle Asmodelle (born April 22, 1964 as a male; birth name unknown), also known as Estelle Maria Croot, is an Australian male-to female transgender model, belly dancer, musician, activist, inventor, abstract artist, astronomer, and academic. He is known as Australia's first legally recognised transsexual person to be registered with the Births, Deaths and Marriages Department of New South Wales,[1] and his transition helped gain recognition for transgender people in Australia.[2] In 1986, he was labelled "Australia’s First Sex-Change Pin-up Girl".[3]

Visually, Asmodelle appears to be a woman, and acts like one, though he has several skills that have traditionally been considered to be "male" activities. He is said to be the most photographed transsexual person in Australia today.[4] Estelle was a controversial figure in the 1980s and as such his story has also appeared in books as well.[5]

Early life

Born in Bowral, New South Wales, Australia, and raised in Berrima, Asmodelle is the first child of Barry and Sylvia Croot. His name at birth has not been disclosed. He has a sister, Belinda. He attended Chevalier College (then a boys-only school) and Moss Vale High School. When he was 16 years old he became seriously ill with spinal meningitis and spent almost a year in hospital. He used a wheelchair for some months and made a complete recovery.

After working briefly in Sydney, he moved to Wollongong and attended Wollongong University where he studied towards two degrees, a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Mathematics, with the hope of becoming a research scientist. As a student he also worked in music ensembles, such as N-lettes and Miscellaneous Music[citation needed] composing and playing experimental and sometimes avant-garde musical art.

At university he experienced transphobic discrimination from members of the academic staff.[6] For this reason, he left the university to focus on art and music. He became a dancer, believing that dance was the true artistic synthesis of art and music.[7]

Dance career

After leaving University, Asmodelle worked briefly as an assistant photographer, while attending dance classes at Sydney Dance Company and also with an Authentic Egyptian Dance instructor. Six weeks after starting belly dance classes he gained work as a dancer.[8]

As time passed he worked in many shows both in Australia and Asia. He was typically featured as the variety act for such shows as Esma Duo, Paris by Night, Las Vegas Under Lights and Les Girls.[9] He returned to Australia and worked as a solo belly dancer.

Activism

During Asmodelle's dance career he traveled to Asian countries and faced many legal difficulties, especially in Singapore where he was detained, because his passport denoted an M (for male). He suffered serious problems with various customs officials and became determined to change the laws in Australia. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade policy was to issue passports bearing the gender designation F only to transsexual women who could demonstrate that they had completed sex reassignment surgery.[10]

Asmodelle continually sent letters and requests to the Attorney's General's Department of the Australian Government and eventually received confirmation that his requests were answered.[citation needed] Others had also been lobbying for changes to the New South Wales government, especially the Attorney-General of N.S.W., for the right to amend birth certificates. Asmodelle was the first person to have his birth certificate amended in this way.[11] Months later, as a result of this action, passport sex designation was allowed to be amended as well. A year later Asmodelle lobbied for anti-discrimination laws to be amended and also for the state hospitals ethics boards to allow research into ectopic pregnancy for sex-change women.[12]

Asmodelle continues to support other trans people who have become public about their transition. In 2015 Estelle offered support to Caitlyn Jenner when he came out as trans.[13]

Career

Asmodelle has been featured in a large number of newspaper and magazine articles, including Cleo (May 1987), People (Nov 1985 & 1993), Post (Dec 1988 Sep 1992), Penthouse Forum (1986 & 1991), New Idea (March 1986), She (July 1996), New Woman (June 1992 & 1998), Naughty Sydney (Cover – November 1991), Tomadachi (June 1991), Wellbeing (May 1989 & 1993), and Nature & Health (November 1997).

He made more than 100 radio interviews and dozens of television appearances in Australia and Japan as well, including Where Are They Now? (Channel 7), Sex/Life (Channel 10 TEN), Midday Show with Kerri Anne (Channel 9), World View (NHK Japan), Beat Takeashi (NHK Japan), Good Morning Australia (Channel 10), Day by Day (Channel 9), Vox Populi (SBS), A Current Affair (Channel 10), Midday Show with Ray Martin (Channel 9), and Terry Willisee Tonight (Channel 9).

Film work

After the media attention he garnered considerable publicity in Australia, but decided to live in Japan for a period of four and a half years, where he worked as a model 1988-1992.[14] It was there that he made his film debut, a walk in and walk out part, in a film by Japanese director Yoshimitsu Morita. It was made for the local Japanese market and never made it out of Japan. On returning to Australia, his next film was The Enchanted Dance, a documentary film about authentic belly dancing. It went international on video but was not released on DVD.[15]

Filmography

Previous films:

  • 1989 – Ai to heisei no iro – Otoko (24 Hour Playboy)[16]
  • 1992 – Secret Fantasies
  • 1994 – The Enchanted Dance

Modelling

Earlier in his modelling career he became "Australia's First Transsexual Pin-up"[17] by appearing nude in Australian Playgirl. Unlike the US version of the magazine, this publication featured nude women and not men. It is the first time a transsexual woman is known to have appeared nude in a mainstream magazine in Australia.[18] Estelle Asmodelle was the face of the Supermodel Agency in Australia; he was their spokesman and main model during 1996-2000.

Abstract art

Asmodelle started painting abstract pieces from early childhood and while at Wollongong University, started creating large canvases. His first solo exhibition was at Wollongong Regional Art Gallery, (now called the Wollongong City Gallery).[19] During his varied career, Asmodelle continued to paint and exhibit, and while living in Japan also exhibited at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum [20] as part of the UNESCO International Friendship Exhibition in 1991. Asmodelle also started the Tokyo Eki (train station) Exhibition, displaying and selling his work in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Tokyo.[21]

Asmodelle was also involved in group shows in Los Angeles, at the Los Angeles Center For Digital Art LACDA.[22] Since returning to Australia, Asmodelle has continued to exhibit in both solo exhibitions in Sydney and country NSW, as well as in group shows, one example is the Redfern Artist Group.[23] His work has been exhibited in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Sydney and regional NSW.[24] Estelle has had numerous solo shows and participated in over 100 group shows, and his art website details some of his work at 'Abstract Artist'.[25]

In 2010 Asmodelle published his first art book, entitled "Transience".[26]

Asmodelle has continued to paint during his varied career, and often gains publicity in his activities. The Art Blog ran a piece on him in 2016 about his abstract art.[27] Additionally, he has stated on his profile on Art Finder,[28] that he is to launch another book in 2017 about his abstract art, entitled, “Symbiosis: Art and Mathematics.” He also has a profile on the Blue Thumb art portal [29]

Career change

While modelling in Japan, Asmodelle also worked for several large Japanese technology companies as a technical consultant, these companies were: Mitsubishi, Nachi-Fujikoshi, NSK and Nippon Seiko K.K. It was the start of a career change, returning to an academic life. During that time, he developed several new technology patents. Asmodelle's patents in the Croot name,[30] and Estelle's patents in the Asmodelle name:[31]

Upon returning to Australia Asmodelle continued his technical consultant work alongside his modelling and painting. Then in 1998 he formed his own internet company, Ellenet Pty. Ltd. Calling on background in computers. According to media reports, Asmodelle has become something of an internet entrepreneur[32] and continues to build a significant online presence.[33] In 2016 Ellenet Pty. Ltd. was sold to Sandgate Solutions in Australia for an undisclosed sum.

Since 2005 Asmodelle has also been recording composition of electronic music. Many music magazines feature his CDs and often write reviews such as a review in Evil Sponge.[34] Other publicity for his activity includes Vents Magazine[35] and Urban Mainstream Magazine.[36]

In 2008 Asmodelle returned to academia, studying at the University of Central Lancashire in the field of astronomy.[37]

Music and writing

Asmodelle has worked in film career and has also written an autobiography, "Anaesthetic Dream".[38]

To Dec 2016, he has written one book – which is still seeking publication:

  • 1998 – Anaesthetic Dream - an autobiography
  • 2013 – Cosmology - the Ultimate Introduction

He has also written two screenplays, which have not been optioned at this time[when?]:

  • Edge of Fear
  • Pleasure Girl - When Robots Feel

Working as a musician Estelle Asmodelle, simply goes under the name "Asmodelle".

To date, Dec 2016 he has released seven albums, and two new pending releases, most are available at online outlets, while his website also said they were released physically:

  • 2009 – Electronic Mischief
  • 2010 – Transelectric
  • 2010 – Dark Universe
  • 2012 – Asmelectrix
  • 2013 – Grooveatropolis Vol I
  • 2013 – Electronic Mischief II
  • 2014 – Near Earth Landscape
  • 2015 – Dark Universe II
  • 2015 – Monotonic Meditations
  • 2015 – Improvera - Quite Moments
  • 2016 – Grooveatropolis Vol II

In early 2011, Asmodelle was signed to a major music distribution label: "Blue Pie Records" as a featured artist, for worldwide distribution of his albums.[39] but during early 2013 he moved over to Mondotunes distribution.

He is a featured artist on Triple J's Unearthed as well.[40] In 2014 he released 5th Album Grooveatropolis, through Mondo Tunes worldwide: Asmodelle on Mondo Tunes.[41]

In September 2015, Asmodelle became a Bronze Medal Winner, with Grooveatropolis Vol I [42]

Academia

Asmodelle published several papers with the peer-reviewed Journal of the Institute of Science and Technology.[43][not in citation given] Between late 2010 to mid 2011 he joined the part-time staff of Cosmos as a science writer, in the field of physics/space, and published six articles. The first of were "Neptune's day measured to the second"[44] and "The Milky Way is a galactic cannibal".[45]

Journal of the Institute of Science and Technology articles:

  • The Controversy over the Presence of Water on the Moon.[46]
  • Origins 2: The General Theory of Relativity.[47]
  • Origins 1: The Special Theory of Relativity.[48]
  • Australian Telescopes: a Retrospective.[49]
  • 10 Vital Questions to 10 Notable Physicists - Part 1: An interview with Professor Lawrence M. Krauss.[50]

Asian Journal of Physics articles:

  • Einstein Editorial for Asian Journal of Physics 2015: An anniversary edition.[51]
  • The Collaboration of Mileva Marić and Albert Einstein: A contemporary review.[52]

Asmodelle is an active student member of the Institute of Physics in the UK, a full member of the Newcastle Astronomical Society, a student member of the Australian Society for General Relativity & Gravitation, and runs his own astronomy and cosmology blog, "Relative Cosmos".[53]

During late 2011, as a result of Asmodelle's Cosmos magazine articles, several astronomical societies asked him to give presentations on astronomy and cosmology. He has given four presentations each since on areas such as "Cosmology and the role of the General Theory of Relativity", "GAIA: the Dawn of High Precision Micro-Arcsecond Astrometry", and "Water on the Moon". Some of the societies in question are Newcastle Astronomical Society (NAS), Sutherland Astronomical Society and Astronomical Society of New South Wales.

In early 2013 Asmodelle became a Fellow of the Institute of Science and Technology[disambiguation needed] IST.[54][not in citation given] Additionally, in May 2013 the Express Advocate published an article about an introduction to cosmology[55] Asmodelle was running at the Central Coast Community College on the Ourimbah campus of Newcastle University, in the Central Coast of NSW.

In June 2012 Asmodelle became a Member of the Australian Society of Gravitation and General Relativity,[56] and in May 2013 also became a Member of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG). Even the author John Gribbin has acknowledged his efforts with validating Einstein's original sources [57]

In 2017, Asmodelle is completing a degree with the University of Central Lancashire [58] through their Study Astronomy portal,[59] with a B.Sc. astronomy [honors]. Asmodelle graduated in 2017 with a 1st class honours. During the 8 years of study, the university has acknowledged his efforts [60]

References

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External links

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