The Miss Universe Pageant has come a long way since its early days. In the past, rigid rules prohibited mothers, wives, and any woman over the age of 28 from competing for the highly coveted crown. But times have changed, and the organization has embraced inclusivity, even allowing transgender contestants to participate. However, not everyone is happy about this progressive shift.
In 2012, the Miss Universe pageant announced that openly transgender women who won their national titles could compete. And in 2018, Angela Ponce from Spain made history as the first-ever transgender contestant in Miss Universe. Ponce had always dreamed of competing and wanted to show that trans women can be anything they want to be.
Ponce said in an interview with Time, “I’m not trying to impose anything on anyone. I’d never try to change anyone’s culture or way of life. But by competing, I’ll make trans people more visible for everyone, which is a big step.”
Although Ponce did not advance to the finals, she paved the way for other LGBTQ+ candidates and brought attention to the importance of inclusivity in beauty pageants.
Changing Rules and Shattering Boundaries
While some countries, like Italy, still have bans on transgender contestants, many nations are loosening their qualifications for national pageants. Miss Portugal, Marina Machete, and Miss Netherlands, Rikkie Valerie Kollé, made history as the first transgender women to win their national titles.
In November 2023, Machete and Kollé competed alongside 82 other beauties for the crown in the 72nd Miss Universe pageant held in El Salvador. Machete’s achievement was particularly groundbreaking as she became the first trans woman to place in the top 20.
Reflecting on her experience, Machete wrote in an essay published by Business Insider, “Making it to the top 20 at Miss Universe was an amazing experience. I’m very happy for the little girls and young women that are at home watching now because they get a whole new and different perspective of women’s beauty being celebrated on TV and on as big of a platform as Miss Universe.”
Despite facing negative and hateful messages, Machete remains focused on the positive support she has received. Fans from all over the world have flooded her social media with loving comments, expressing their admiration and gratitude for her representation.
Overcoming Adversity and Embracing Inclusivity
Just weeks before the November 2023 pageant, Thai media mogul Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, the owner of Miss Universe, faced financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy. However, under her leadership, Miss Universe had already made strides towards inclusivity by allowing wives and mothers to compete as of 2023. The organization is also planning to eliminate the age limit in 2024, welcoming women over the age of 28.
While there may be challenges along the way, the continued progress towards inclusivity in beauty pageants is an important step forward. Transgender women competing in women’s events are breaking barriers and making history, showing the world that beauty knows no boundaries.
If you enjoyed this story about transgender women breaking barriers, make sure to check out the inspiring tale of a trans woman competing against women in sports. And don’t forget to share this story to encourage dialogue and hear what others have to say about transgender women competing in women’s events.
