HELLO, ANGELA
PINAYS WELCOME FIRST TRANS WOMAN IN MISS U
Angela Ponce, 26, is the first transgender woman to win Miss Spain. She was crowned last June 29. She will also be Miss Universe’s first transgender contestant as she will be representing Spain in the prestigious beauty pageant this year.
But how do Filipina beauty queens feel about having a transgender Miss Universe contestant?
In an interview with entertainment website Push, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach said that she has nothing against transwomen joining the pageant.
“Well, I always knew that transgenders are allowed to join Miss Universe and win Miss Universe,” Wurtzbach said. Miss Universe has allowed transgender women to join the contest since 2012.
Miss International 2013 Bea Rose Santiago said, in a separate interview with Push, that she does not see anything wrong with transwomen joining Miss Universe.
Santiago said that she has no problem with it because she grew up with a lot of friends and family members who are part of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community.
“For me, it’s kind of old news because I think years ago, Miss Universe Canada wanted to push the barrier, and that’s the reason why allowed na ‘yung transgender community to join Miss Universe,” said Santiago. “So it wasn’t really, like, new
kasi alam na natin. It’s just a matter kung sinong ma-uunang
magpadala ng representative who’s a transgender,” she continued.
Santiago thanked the LGBTQ community because they played an important role in her journey as a beauty queen.
“All of my mentors (are gay). I wouldn’t win Miss International if it wasn’t for them,” said Santiago.
In another interview, Miss Universe Philippines 2018 Catriona Gray said that she is open to the decision of the Miss Universe Organization to let transwomen join the competition.
“I am very open-minded to it. It gives us the opportunity to learn more about the LGBTQ community, the challenges and issues that they’re facing,” said Gray.
“A lot of people, like us, we’re talking about it, and I think it’s a good thing,” she added.
However,
Reina Hispanoamericana 2017
Teresita Ssen
Marquez has a different view about it.
In an interview with Glitz.ph, Marquez said that while she loved the idea of Spain permitting Ponce to participate, she thinks Miss Universe, per se, should be given to natural-born women.
“Kasi there is Miss International Queen, tama ba? It’s a prestigious pageant also… let’s just give it (Miss Universe) to
the natural-born women, and for transgenders to have their own prestigious pageant,” said Marquez. “Pero kung i-allow naman
ng Miss Universe pageant, then we should accept it also,” she continued.