Getting closer to the live televised Miss Universe pageant, but the preliminary contest will happen on December 13.
All 94 contestants will participate in evening wear, swimsuit and an interview portion in front of judges. The scores they earn during that portion will determine who the 20 semifinalists will be competing on Sunday.
On December 10 the National Costume Show was held. It's a Miss Universe tradition in which all 94 delegates get to choose a national costume that best represents the culture of their nation.
Y'all know I'm rooting for Angela. Here she is repping Spain
If you wish to watch the entire show, have the video here for you pageant junkies.
We're two weeks away from crowning a new Miss Universe 2018, and the conservafools are tripping because of Miss Spain-Universe Angela Ponce not only being in this year's competition, but being considered one of the favorites to take the crown.
Hate on, transphobic conservahaters. And yeah, we know through your trans hate speech that you're definitely nervous about the prospect of Ponce actually being crowned Miss Universe.
They recognize the importance of Ponce competing as the first out trans contestant in what is considered the world's most prestigious beauty pageant The conservafools in Canada and the US are throwing every lie and falsehood about trans people out there they can in their media outlets and hoping it sticks in the larger media universe.
Ponce, to her credit has been what she always has been, classy in the face of transphobic ignorance. It's rumored that Ponce will be roommates in Bangkok with Miss Colombia-Universe Valeria Morales, and reached out to her after she made those transphobic comments.
Hey, if that's true, she's better than me in this situation. Knowing how shady pageants can get, I wouldn't trust home girl, much less want to be in the same room with somebody who publicly made disparaging remarks about me.
Ponce stated in a recent TIME magazine interview that if she won, it would be a sharp rebuke to the anti-trans ignorance the Trump misadministration is trying to install at the federal government
level.
"More than a message to him, it would be a win for human rights. Trans women have been persecuted and erased for so long. If they give me the crown, it would show trans women are just as much women as cis women."
She also said in that TIME interview,"I’m showing that trans women can be whatever they want to be: a teacher, a mother, a doctor, a politician and even Miss Universe."
No matter what happens, she will always be in the history books as the first out Miss Universe trans contestant, and probably won't be the last.
Ponce competing in Miss Universe has generated excitement not only in our international trans community, but pageant buzz that will probably translate into higher ratings for the live broadcast from Bangkok on December 16.
And yes, I'm hoping she wins for another reason. Lauren Foster was outed by a jealous cis model when Foster was poised to compete in the Miss Universe South Africa pageant back in the 80's.
How delicious would it be if the current Miss Universe Demi- Leigh Nel-Peters, who is from South Africa, crowned Angela Ponce as her successor?
Hasn't even been a week yet and another Latin American pageant queen besides Miss Colombia opens her pretty mouth to let something ugly and transphobic come out of it.
This time it was Lupita Jones, who won the Miss Universe title in 1991 and was the first Mexican woman to do so. She now runs the Miss Universe pageant franchise in Mexico and by her remarks, made it clear that if she had it her way, Mexican trans women wouldn't be eligible to compete for the Miss Mexico Universe or Miss Universe titles.
Jones made her transphobic remarks during a televised event celebrating the opening of the new season of Teatro en Corto in Mexico City.
"As head of Miss Universe in Mexico, I have to bide by the rules of the organization. But on a personal level, I disagree, because I don't think we are under equal conditions, A woman that was born one will never be like a transgender woman. Biologically they are not the same."
Oh really Miss Thang? And what 'equal conditions' are you babbling about?
Some of your Miss Universe pageant cis women are surgically enhanced. Don't even try to push that narrative that only trans women get surgery. Miss Universe pageant rules not only allow surgery, but allow you if you wish to not disclose the fact you did so. Miss Brazil Universe 2001 Juliana Borges admitted she'd had 19 surgeries in the runup to that 2001 pageant, and it's been suspected that Venezuela's rise as a Miss Universe powerhouse is plastic surgery fueled
Something else you need to educate yourself about is the increasing international transgender research conducted by Dr Eric Vilain at UCLA and others that are in conflict with your facts free opinion. Medical evidence emphatically points out that the brains of trans and cis women are similar in structure.
And let me make this next point in your native tongue so there is no misunderstanding concerning the point I wish to get across.
Mujeres trans son mujeres.
Some of the most gorgeous trans women I have met during my time in this community come from Mexico.
In the short history by comparison to Miss Universe of the Thailand based Miss International Queen transgender pageant, one of those Mexican born trans women, Erica Andrews, captured the 2006 crown.
Jones kept digging the hole she was in by saying the Miss Universe contest is 'not for them," but then trying to claim in the same breath that she supported the trans human rights struggle.
Your comments suggest you don't, and it's why you're getting dragged across the Net for it.
As you pointed out before you went on your transphobic rant, the competition rules for Miss Universe say otherwise. Since Ximena Navarrete was in 2010 the last Mexican woman to win Miss Universe, you may wish to consider sending one of Mexico's trans women to rep y'all on the Miss Universe stage.
Trans women have been eligible to compete for the Miss Universe crown since 2013, but it took until this year for one of our sisters to snatch a crown and qualify for the big show in Spain's Angela Ponce.
There's the possibility she might be joined by another trans Miss Universe contestant from Mongolia
The first ever Miss Mongolia Universe pageant is taking place this year, and one of the fourteen contestants vying for the inaugural crown is 25 year old Solongo Batsukh.
She competed earlier this year for the Miss International Queen title in Pattaya. Wouldn't it be nice if she got to go back to Thailand as the reigning and first ever Miss Universe Mongolia?
We won;t find out until October 17 if that happens for her, and I hope it does. I'm sure Miss Universe Spain Angela Ponce wouldn't mind having another trans woman on that Miss Universe stage with her.
TransGriot Update: It didn't happen for her. 27 year old Dolgion Delgerjav was crowned as the first ever Miss Mongolia Universe. Since Solongo is only 25, she still has two years to make it happen.
Was wondering how long it would take before one of the Miss Universe 2018 contestants opened her pretty mouth and let something horribly transphobic ooze out of it.
That contestant turned out to be Miss Colombia Universe 2018 Valeria Morales.
The 20 year old Morales made some TERFy remarks aimed at Miss Spain Universe winner Angela Ponce, who was crowned back in July, When Ponce steps on that Miss Universe stage in Bangkok on December 17, will make history in as the first ever out trans contestant in the pageant's history.
But Morales threw a catty remark at her in a recent Colombian television interview that has gone viral.
"I think that beauty shows like Miss Universe should be for women who are born women, and I think it would be a disadvantage for Ponce too. Therefore, we should respect her but not share it with her," Morales said
Ugh, there's that transphobic 'women born women' line again How do you say 'trans women are women' en Espanol?
Colombia is also part of the group of national Miss Universe pageant orgs that bars trans women from competing despite the Miss Universe system rules that since 2013, have allowed them to compete if they qualify.
While Ponce hasn't directly commented yet about Morales' remarks, she did have this to say several weeks ago concerning folks who are salty about her participation in this year's Miss Universe pageant.
“I would like to tell them [critics] that I am a woman. I am a trans woman and I have the right to be there. So I ask them to respect it because the rules allow me to participate,” she said.
Morales in the wake of the international dragging she's getting, seems to be changing her tune about Ponce's participation in the pageant.
"If Miss Universe accepts Angela, I will accept her with love and respect."
Well Ms Morales, that what you should have done before you opened your mouth and inserted those pumps in it.
We'll see in a few weeks at Miss Universe 2018 if your deeds match your words.
Ponce is already a winner in exhibiting the one characteristic of a pageant queen you failed to demonstrate in that televised interview.
Today was the day 35 years ago that Vanessa Williams, who repped New York state, was crowned as the first ever Black Miss America back in 1983.
The 92nd annual competition took place in Atlantic City, NJ on September 9. This year's newly crowned Miss America, like the trailblazing Williams, is also a Black woman repping New York state in 25 year old Nia Imani Franklin.
Franklin is the ninth Black woman to wear the Miss America crown, and she was recently asked her thoughts during a TheClay Cane Show interview concerning whether trans feminine contestants should be allowed to compete for the Miss America title.
Y'all know what my thoughts are concerning that question. Here's what Ms. Franklin had to say about it:
"That’s something I haven’t given a lot of thought to. I could see the organization may be going into a different direction in the future, but at this time our goal is just to focus on women who want to further their education.”
She continued, “If trans women want to compete I think they should be able to — that’s not something I think we are really putting too much emphasis on as far as, ‘Are you trans? Check this box’ when you compete. When I competed, in my application, there was nothing that asked me if I was a trans woman or not, so we’re definitely not discriminating.”
Yes, you are when the pageant has a rule that states only 'natural born women', whatever in the hell that means, can compete in the Miss America system.
The Miss Universe system has had since 2012 allowed trans women to compete, and later this year in Bangkok we will finally witness a trans woman competing for the Miss Universe crown in Spain's Angela Ponce.
But the 98 year old Miss America system, despite moves to modernize the pageant and make it more relevant to 21st century life, like ditching the swimsuit competition for a current events Q&A, still bans trans women from competing.
But glad to hear the current Miss America titleholder thinks trans women who fit the pageant's eligibility requirements should be allowed to compete for this prestigious crown.
And I hope that change happens sooner rather than later.
The big event today is the 2018 Mr and Miss Black Trans International Pageant later tonight
Mr.Black Trans International 2017 Trenton Johnson and Miss Black Trans International Tiffany Starr will crown their successors from the group of contestants vying for their crowns.
While those contestants are undergoing another step to hopefully snatching the BTIPS crowds with their interviews, the seminar tracks continue.
As those of you who got to see the live feeds witnessed, the Trans Manifest Live was off the chain. It gets better and better every year, and next year I'm coming with some original poetry
At noon we also have another highly anticipated event with the BTAC 2018 Empowerment Keynote Luncheon
The Black Transmen, Inc Keynote speaker this year will be Jonathan Thunderword, and the Black Transwomen, Inc .Keynote speaker is Diamond Stylz.
At 2:00 PM we pick up with Part 2 of the Black Trans Community Summit in which we will have a chance to talk with the Dallas PD's LGBTQ Liasion Amber Roman as past of the discussion on Dating, Love and anti-Trans Violence.
If will be followed by the pageant at 8 PM to crown the new Mr. and Miss Black Trans 2018.
One of the things I like to point out is that your family expands, not contracts after you transition, and in many cases those family members you gain are your trans siblings around the world.
One of those people I've had the pleasure of getting to know is my Brazilian sis Aleikasandria Barros. Since her reign as Miss Trans Universo 2015 is coming to an end and she'll have to return to Italy to crown her successor, I wanted to take a moment to give her a TransGriot shoutout.
Thanks Aleika for representing yourself, your nation and our community while wearing the Miss Trans Universo crown.
The Miss Trans Universo pageant is taking place on December 10, and it's on that night in Perugia, Italy she will crown her successor.
I've had the pleasure of getting to know Aleika for the last few years, and I've had some interesting conversations with her about a variety of subjects along the way.
In addition to being involved in the pageant world, she's passionate about causes near and dear to all of our hearts around the world in the eradication of transphobia, educating about our lives, the expansion of our human rights and building sisterhood in our ranks.
I have much admiration and pride for my sisters who compete in the pageant world. They are not only my sisters, they also have an important role to play in the advancement of our community's human rights in our various nations and around the world.
I've seen that firsthand since I have been in the position a few times of being a trans pageant judge. My pageant sisters at times are also advocates. They are not only serving as community ambassadors facilitating conversations between the cis and trans communities, there are qualities and things that you learn while competing in pageants that also translate to life outside the pageant world.
I'm eagerly looking forward to the day, like I am with all my international sisters, that I finally get to meet Aleika in person.
Congrats on your amazing year as Miss Trans Universo Aleika! May the blessings continue to flow for you in 2017 and beyond.
In case you're wondering how my British sis via Nigeria Miss SaHHara fared in the just concluded Miss Trans Star International pageant in Barcelona, she ended up placing in the top 5 finalists for it.
But along the way to her top 5 finish in Spain, she also shed light on the horrific way that Nigeria treats trans folks like herself and same gender loving people there by jailing them for up to 14 years.
She dealt with imprisonment, anti-trans street harassment. two suicide attempts and transphobic bullying from her family in her native Nigeria before leaving for London in 2004. She is a singer-songwriter, model and the founding director of the TransValid NGO.
"There is no way I could have survived in Nigeria. That is why I had to leave."
After arriving in London, she performed at Madam Jojo's Kitsch Cafe until it closed in November 2014, earned a master's degree in digital media from London Metropolitan University, has walked the runways of London Fashion Week in addition to competing in trans beauty pageants around the globe.
Along the way Miss SaHHara is becoming an internationally recognized voice when it comes to eloquently discussing gender identity issues and as she has said, 'being a voice for the voiceless in Nigeria'.
Nigeria's loss of her talents and intellect because of their transphobic idiocy is Great Britain's gain.
"London gave me my opportunity to pursue my dreams and be my true self." Miss SaHHara said in an interview. "I'm hoping that by speaking out and coming to Miss Star, I will try to influence people or perhaps my government to revoke 14 years of imprisonment for LGBT people in Nigeria."
Miss Brazil Rafaela Manfrini was crowned Miss Trans Star International 2016. Ta'alin Abu Hanna of Israel was first runner up.
As for what's next for Miss SaHHara? Stay tuned.
I have no doubt that whatever this talented woman puts her mind to accomplishing, she will achieve it.
While we're waiting for the first trans contestant to walk a Miss Universe stage, in the interim we pageant junkies do have several international trans pageants to watch and root for our sisters who are competing in them around the world.
We still have several national Miss Universe organizations (Mexico, Venezuela) that even though the parent Miss Universe organization's rules allows qualified trans women who are 18-27 to enter and compete, they transphobically refuse to allow trans entrants.
The longest running trans pageant open to international contestants with international recognition has been the Thailand based Miss International Queen one that I've covered on these TransGriot electronic pages. The Thais also have the Miss Tiffany pageant for Thai trans women only that happens in May.
In the pageant happy Philippines, there's not only the local and regional trans pageants that model and advocate Geena Rocero once competed in as a tennager, but the Amazing Philippine Beauties national one. There are also other national trans pageants that are popping up in various nations around the globe.
In the United States, we have the prestigious Miss Continental Pageant that has been around since it was founded by Jim Flint in 1980 and just concluded its annual Labor Day weekend competition to crown its new queen yesterday.
Miss International Queen one has been around since 2004 and currently has the most international acclaim and news coverage since that time. It has become a sought after title for trans women around the globe. But with increasing criticism of its all Thai judges panel that got louder after a controversial 2011 end to it, exacerbated by the fact there has never been an African descended girl win Miss International Queen, much less a dark skinned beauty period, I'm not surprised that other international trans pageants are popping up in different parts of the world.
One of those new trans pageants is the now five year old Barcelona based Miss Trans Star International Pageant. It came up on my radar last year because my Brazilian homegirl Aleikasandria Barros was competing in it last year and finished as the first runner up.
Aleika's disappointment at not walking away with that title didn't last long. In December she captured the Miss Trans Universe title that was held in Italy.
This fifth anniversary version of it will be taking place September 16-17, and one of the 28 women entered in the 2016 edition of this pageant is another one of my international trans homegirls in Miss SaHHara. She'll be representing her birth nation of Nigeria, and she was the runner up at Miss International Queen in 2011.
Well, you know I'll have my eye on this upcoming pageant. Best of luck to my sis Miss SaHHara and all the women competing in Barcelona for this title.
It may be a while before we see another out trans Miss USA or first ever out trans Miss America contestant, but there have been trans competitors elsewhere in the world.
The Miss World pageant system has seen Jackie Brown back in 2012 attempt to become the first trans Miss England World and fall short of capturing the crown.
Now comes word out of Spain of the most recent girl like us attempting to capture her home nation's national crown in 23 year old Angela Ponce.
The 5' 10" beauty was representing the province of Cadiz in her attempt to capture the Miss Spain World crown and become the first out trans woman ever to qualify for the Miss World pageant being held in China.
Unfortunately Ponce, despite being considered as one of the favorites to take the Miss Spain World crown, was eliminated before reaching the final ten.
Despite that disappointment, Angela believed that she was still a winner, and would continue to fight for increased visibility for Spanish trans people. She works closely with the Daniela Foundation, an organization that seeks to raise awareness about the plight of trans people.
"I have the regional crown on my head and I will keep fighting to make us seen, to make us heard, and to demonstrate that I am already a queen with my own crown."
Yes you are, Angela. May you have continued success in your life and your ongoing mission to encourage acceptance of trans people in Spain.
I've always been a pageant junkie going back to my childhood and one of my fave pageants to watch is Miss Universe.
I'm still waiting for the first transfeminine contestant to hit the Miss Universe stage, but until them I'm rooting for the girls of the African Diaspora, wherever they come from, to do well.
When the Miss Universe system finally names the date and location of the next pageant, I'll be glued to the TV watching it because of an unexpected sistah contestant.
When the Miss Universe Japan pageant was held in March, the winner was 21 year old Ariana Miyamoto of Nagasaki.
She has an interesting backstory. She was born in Japan today in 1994 (Happy birthday sister Taurus!) to an Japanese mother and an African-American father in Sasebo. After attending elementary school in Nagasaki, Japan, her parents divorced and she emigrated to the US to attend high school in her father's hometown of Jacksonville, Arkansas before the 1.73 m (5'8") beauty returned to Japan to become a model.
She entered the Miss Universe Japan pageant after a biracial friend of hers committed suicide, and represented her hometown of Nagasaki in the pageant. The moment she was crowned starts at the 6:00 minute mark.
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Ariana's Miss Universe Japan win has caused some controversy there because in the eyes of some of her critics, she isn't Japanese enough despite being born there, a Japanese citizen, currently residing in that nation, her mother being full blooded Japanese, having fifth degree mastery of calligraphy and she being a fluent Japanese speaker.
And I do have some memories of Jesse Jackson having to make a few trips to Japan starting in the 90's to tackle anti-Black attitudes there.
Miyamoto's win has also opened the doors to a conversation in Japan about what it means to be Japanese in a multi-racial world. At the same time it also gives African-Americans an opportunity to understand what life is like for a Black woman living in Japan and if it has improved since those contentious 1990's.
Miyamoto is eager to use her newfound fame to facilitate that conversation. She's hoping her selection as Miss Universe Japan will help change attitudes in her nation toward people of color.
“I want to start a revolution,” Miyamoto said with a laugh. “I can’t
change things overnight, but in 100-200 years there will be very few
pure Japanese left, so we have to start changing the way we think.”
Ariana is not the first, nor the last Japanese person with African-American heritage they will see in a nation that is 98.5% ethnic Japanese and is not as monoracial as it thinks it is.
And yeah, just goes to show you how beautiful Black women are, no matter what nation they reside in
Congratulations Ariana! Hope to see you rock the Miss Universe stage in a few months as you attempt to become the first Japanese Miss Universe winner since 2007.
22 year old Isabella Santiago beat out 21 contestants from 18 nations to win the tenth edition of the Miss International Queen Pageant in Pattaya, Thailand on November 7.
Santiago is the first ever Miss International Queen winner from her nation that has regularly tasted success in Miss Universe competition around the globe but until now had never had someone win, much less placed in this prestigious pageant for trans feminine women that started in 2004.
She is the second straight contestant from South America to take home the Miss International Queen crown., and you have to wonder despite the controversial comment of Gabriela Isler when the head of Venezuela's Miss Universe organizing body will finally relent and allow trans women like Ms. Santiago to compete for their nation in the Miss Universe pageant system.
