Spanish Trans Woman Competes In Miss Spain World Pageant

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.

2009 Miss Tiffany Winner Detransitions To Become A Monk

Back in May 2009 I wrote about Sorawee 'Jazz' Nattee becoming the latest person to wear the Miss Tiffany's crown and become Thailand's representative in the upcoming Miss International Queen Pageant that November.   

Nattee ended up not placing in that Miss International Queen competition won by Ai Haruna of Japan but did finish third in the pre-pageant competition.    

The interesting news that came out of the Land of Smiles ironically right about the time the Miss Tiffany pageant is held in Thailand is that the now 24 year old Nattee traded her crown for the orange robes of Buddhist monkhood.

Since only males can become Buddhist monks, that meant Nattee had to detransition to do so. 

The international trans community has been hearing about disturbing cases in Thailand in which families who are majorly resistant to their trans children transitioning to live as women or their gay ones being forced to become monks.

According to Nattee, this isn't what's happening in his situation.  ‘It’s not that I’ve become a monk to run away from problems, but I’ve studied dhamma for two years and now know what it truly is.’’ 

Nattee also said in the Bangkok Post article he was doing so to repay his parents.

Genital surgery is optional for a contestant in the Miss Tiffany's and Miss International Queen competitions, and according to Nattee's family the only surgery Jazz had at the time of competition were breast implants..

Nattee removed the implants and took the ordination name of Phra Maha Viriyo Bhikku as he entered a monastery in his home southern Songkla province. He didn't hide the fact that four years ago he was wearing the Miss Tiffany's pageant crown.

"I want to be a monk for the rest of my life and I’m ready to leave my worldly possessions behind,’’ Jazz said after becoming a monk at Wat Liab

I and everyone else in trans world hope that Nattee freely made this decision and wasn't pushed into it by his parents or other outside influences.   If it's what Jazz truly desires and made the conscious decision to do so, then best of luck in his life and spiritual journey.

But if he didn't, I definitely along with people in Thailand won't be surprised to see the return of Jazz

Openly MRKH Contestant In Miss USA 2013

We won't have a girl like us competing in the Miss USA 2013 pageant next month because Kylan Wenzel unfortunately didn't win the Miss California USA pageant.

I'll still have somebody else to root for besides the women of color and my Lone Star state representative when I watch the pageant on June 16 and see who  Miss USA 2012 Nana Meriwether crowns as her successor. 
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My friends in the intersex community are excited to learn that Miss Michigan USA Jaclyn Shultz is one of the 51 women vying for the Miss USA crown.

Jaclyn has a condition that affects one in 4500 newborn girls called Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome.   MRKH affects the reproductive system and causes the vagina and uterus to be underdeveloped or absent    Women with MRKH syndrome have a female chromosome pattern (46,XX), functioning ovaries, conventionally developed external female external genitalia and breast and pubic hair development.

In Jaclyn's case, as she mentions in her Miss USA profile, "Jaclyn is the proud spokeswoman for A Beautiful You MRKH Foundation. Since she was born without a uterus, this non-profit is close to her heart."

She has been working to spread awareness about MRKH and provide support to girls and women across the globe who are diagnosed with it. 

As Claudia Actorino said in the opening sentence of her post about Jaclyn, 'intersex bodies are beautiful.'

I wish Jaclyn the best of luck in the upcoming Miss USA 2013 pageant and continued success in her ongoing mission of spreading awareness about MRKH.


H/T  Claudia Actorino- 
 

The Pageant and Ballroom Community Girls Are #GirlsLikeUs, Too

One of the subjects that I talked with Jahaira at length about yesterday was the need to recognize that #girlslikeus also includes the crossdressers who have the gender epiphany, start making the move toward the transitioned full time end of the spectrum but the girls in the pageant and ballroom community.

We're not all middle class, college educated peeps that get to congregate at the increasing palette of wonderful conferences like OUT on the Hill and BTMI/BWMI.   For some of our sisters who fit that middle class collegiate description their ultimate goal is to spend a Labor Day weekend in Chicago competing for the Miss Continental title or striving for legendary status in their various categories in the ballroom community.

What some people (I'm looking side-eyed at you TS Separatists) fail to realize is that for many non-white transkids, the pageant and ballroom communities ARE their transition pathway and support system if their families reject them.   They use the prize money they win from the pageants and balls to pay for their transitions and the work they need to do to feminize their bodies.

As they gain prestige, affirmation and legendary status in the pageant and ballroom communities our sisters begin to overcome the shame, fear and guilt issues that plague all girls like us at times and have a support system in place for those moments when they need to talk to someone about the issues we all deal with.

For example, if you are a young person competing n the Fem Queen Realness category in which you must be as close to feminine perfection as possible in the judges minds, you get 10's across the board from them, and get affirmation and love from the ballroom patrons and the competitors from other houses, you begin to build up the confidence that you can actually become the woman of your dreams and successfully interact with the world outside the ballroom community.

If you think I'm kidding about that, just check out the examples of  Leiomy Maldonado and Isis King who have parlayed their time in the ballroom community in their respective categories to mainstream success. 

Just as in the ballroom community, the lessons you learn from competing in pageants also carry over into your life as well.  In addition to learning how to stand tall, speak clearly and concisely and make sure your feminine presentation is on point,  you also learn you can do all that and still not win. You learn to be a classy winner and a gracious loser.  You learn that it's going to take a lot of hard work through stiff competition to reach your goals.  You also learn that a beautiful face isn't everything.  You also have to have a beautiful heart and keen mind to go with it.        

There are some thoughtful, intelligent voices in the pageant and ballroom communities who are ready, willing and able to do what they can to advance trans human rights if we activists peeps humbly ask them for their help.  One example of that is my homegirl Amirage back in Louisville who is not only a major figure in the pageant world, but was part of the efforts to get the Fairness Ordinance passed in the late 90's. 

There are proud girls like us in the both the pageant and ballroom community who have donated their time, talents and efforts to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in not only their respective circles, but the African-American community as well. 

It's past time we started including our trans sisters in those sectors of our trans community into the discussions about owning our power.  We need to chat with our pageant and ballroom sisters about what they need, how they see the world and what policies they would like to see happen.  They need some love, respect and media light shined on their sectors of the community.

And if we're going to craft solid trans specific policies that will shape how Trans World will look in the rest of this decade and beyond, representatives from the pageant and ballroom communities need to be at the table when we have those ongoing policy discussions.

But one thing we should never forget is the pageant and ballroom community girls are also girls like us, we all have being trans women as a common thread, and we have people that irrationally hate on ALL of us simply for having the courage to honestly live our lives.

So let's get busy focusing on what unites us and doing what's best for the entire trans community human rights wise rather than what divides us.  
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Kylan, You're Still A Winner In Our Eyes

Miss California USA 2013 was crowned last night, and it's safe to say it wasn't our girl like us Kylan Wenzel.

We would have known if that had happened because it would have shunted most of the Golden Globe Awards media overkill coverage to a secondary story.

The website for the Miss California USA pageant hasn't been updated yet as I write this with Mabelynn Capeluj's photo and still haven't discovered as of yet if Kylan made it to the 20 semifinalists that competed last night.

But that's not important right now because even if she didn't, she made a dream of hers happen and while doing so made a little trans history along the way 

We are proud of you Kylan for following your dreams, representing us with class and dignity and giving all the girls like us in the States and around the world something positive to talk about this past weekend..  

Know that you're a winner in our eyes.   I wish you much success in whatever you choose to do from this point forward. 

Meet Kylan, The First Ever Trans Miss California USA Pageant Contestant

Remember when I wrote the post last week stating that we not get our hopes up of seeing a trans contestant in a state level Miss USA system pageant, Miss USA or Miss Universe this year?  

Scratch that.  

The 2013 Miss California USA pageant starts its preliminary competition tomorrow, and one of the 229 women competing in this year's edition of the pageant at the Pasadena Convention center will be a girl like us.

When 26 year old Kylan Arianna Wenzel of Century City, CA noted that transwomen were now eligible to compete in the Miss Universe pageant system thanks to Jenna Talackova breaking that pageant glass ceiling in Canada, Kylan decided to go for her long held dream of being a pageant contestant confidently attempting to win the trifecta of Miss California USA, Miss USA and Miss Universe . 

She left her job as a Jamba Juice shift manager and moved up her surgery date six months to have it in August 2012 in order to compete in this year's event.

“The first time I watched a beauty pageant was when I was 11, in 1997, when Miss USA won Miss Universe. And ever since then, it’s kind of been implanted in my brain,” Wenzel told Frontiers during a January 3 phone interview. “I wasn’t sure how it would happen for me, but it was something I put out there.

“You have to put it out to the universe—what you want to do—and you have to follow up on it,” Wenzel continued. “So, let’s say for transgender individuals, even if you haven’t had your sex change and you’re not sure, you have to act like you are Miss Universe or you are the woman you see yourself being. And you do that in everyday life. So I just worked really hard. I saved for surgery. I started getting procedures early like laser hair removal—things like that. It really is about believing in yourself. But you also need people to believe in you, because you can’t really get that far, sometimes, when you don’t have that kind of support.”

Wenzel's already made some trans history by being the first out transperson to enter a state level pageant anywhere in the United States and the first trans Miss California USA contestant.  

Her attempt to win Miss California USA starts in tomorrow's preliminary round in which the 229 contestants will be whittled down to the 20 semifinalists who will compete in the Pasadena Convention Center on Sunday, January 13 starting at 4 PM PST.  

If she does emerge victorious, we'll get to see her attempt to make more pageant history in June when she will represent California at the Miss USA pageant.

But first things first.   Good luck this weekend, Kylan! 

Karmic Wheel Going In Both Directions For Two Miss USA Contestants

Remember back in June when the buzz and drama surrounding Jenna Talackova's participation in the Miss Canada Universe pageant was still on the minds of folks inside and outside the pageant world?

People were divided into two camps over the Miss Universe organization's decision to allow trans women to compete starting in 2013. 

That drama over trans women being allowed to compete showed up during the 2012 Miss USA pageant as Miss Rhode Island Olivia Culpo, one of the five finalists this year was asked a question on the trans pageant competition issue..

Would it be fair for a person born a man to be named Miss Universe after becoming a woman?


Her answer::  

"I do think it would be fair..." because "there are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country."

Well, she went on to be named Miss USA and on December 19 became the first American in 15 years to be chosen Miss Universe since Hawaii's Brook Mahelani Lee won the title in 1997.

Meanwhile one of the transphobes on the other side of it, former Miss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin, made these sour grapes tinged comments when she gave up her crown on June 5 after failing to make it into the Top 15.

"I refuse to be part of a pageant system that has so far and so completely removed itself from its foundational principles as to allow and support natural born males to compete in it. This goes against ever moral fiber of my being. I believe in integrity, high moral character, and fair play, none of which are part of this system any longer."


Miss Moral Fiber 2012 went on to put her pumps in her mouth and claim the Miss USA pageant was rigged.  Miss Universe organization officials asserted Monnin's allegations on Facebook and NBC's "Today" show cost them a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor.  The Donald sued after giving Monnin 24 hours to retract the statements.
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 The case went to arbitration and Sheena Monnin now owes the Miss Universe organization $5 million dollars after she lost her defamation suit.   A judge found she did defame the organization and awarded damages. 

Hmm.   Let's compare and contrast shall we?   The transwoman you hated on (and by extension the worldwide trans community) made it to the Top 16 of her national pageant, tied for the Miss Congeniality award with three other women, and did so with dignity and class while having the world's media focused on her. 

Meanwhile you didn't even make it out of the preliminary rounds of the Miss USA pageant and showed no class while doing so.

Jenna Talackova and Olivia Culpo have more class in their pinky fingers than Sheena Monnin has in her entire nekulturny body, and the karmic wheel has smiled upon both of them. 

Meanwhile, we are observing in real time what the karmic wheel is doing unto Sheena.
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Miss USA 2012 Is A Sistah!

If you've watched pageants, you've heard the hosts say their spiel before they announce the winner how important the first runner up position is if the winner of said pageant can't continue in their duties, et cetera.  

In the wake of Olivia Culpo winning Miss Universe 2012 on Tuesday, that meant the first runner up gets to ascend to become Miss USA.

In that competition back in June 27 year old Miss Maryland USA Nana Meriwether was the first runner up.  She now moves up to become Miss USA 2012 and the sixth African-American woman to wear the Miss USA crown.  

Congratulation Nana! 

She'll handle the Miss USA duties until she crowns her successor in June 2013. 

Miss USA 2012 Says Trans Competitor Would Be Okay

Was focused on watching other things besides the Miss USA 2012 pageant Sunday night but was happy to hear about what the new Miss USA Olivia Culpo from Rhode Island had to say during her five finalist Q&A.  

The question she was asked was: would it be fair for a person born a man to be named Miss Universe after becoming a woman?

Y'all know what the TransGriot and a majority of the transfeminine community's answer to that question would be, but we weren't on the stage standing in Ms Culpo's pumps competing for a shot at the Miss USA Universe title

And she proved (so far) she isn't Carrie Prejean or a radfem.

"I do think it would be fair..." because "there are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country."

Time will tell how much of an ally she is to our community, but she definitely is well on the way to making a lot of trans female friends.   The opening of the Miss Universe system starting in 2013 to transwomen is still a contentious subject as cis women have come down on both sides of the issue.    

But thanks to Miss USA 2012 for standing up for fairness.

Jackie Comes Close, But No Miss England Crown

Jackie Green's bid to become the first trans Miss England fell short last night when she didn't make the finals of that pageant.  While she's disappointed about the result as are all of us around the world who were rooting for her, bear in mind she did make it to the semifinals..

This also comes a week after Jenna Talackova's bid to become Miss Canada also fell short of the finalist round of the Miss Universe Canada pageant, although she did capture the Miss Congeniality award.

"Miss England is a prestigious competition. I’d love to win.” Green remarked in a recent newspaper interview.

But Ms.Green isn't in this pageant just for the crown or the glamor.   She's got another purpose in mind as she competes.  She's hoping to use the public platform of the pageant as a way to raise awareness about  bullying and transgender issues.


Ms. Green stated she would make another run at the Miss England crown next year, and here's hoping that she has a better result when she does.

Good Luck Tonight, Jackie!

Across The Pond tonight, Jackie Green will take the stage and attempt to become the first transperson to become Miss England.   

She was voted through to tonight's Miss England pageant semifinals earlier this month.  If she does go on to win this event would represent her country at the Miss World pageant that will be held in China

Good luck tonight, Jackie.   Know your transsisters all over the planet are rooting for you.

You're Still A Winner In Our Eyes, Jenna

With the eyes of the world focused on Toronto for a historic finals night for the 2012 Miss Canada Universe pageant, 23 year old Jenna Talackova was not only competing for the right to represent her nation in the Miss Universe event in December, but an entire worldwide community of transwomen.

She did make it to the 12 semifinalist round, but unfortunately not to the five finalists one.

But as I've said for a few days now, even if she didn't walk out with the Miss Canada Universe crown last night and I presume she's probably disappointed she didn't, she's still a winner.  

Talackova fought for her place in this pageant after being unjustly disqualified by the bogus and transphobic 'natural born womna' rule.  Because she did so she eventually broke through a glass ceiling that allowed her to be on stage with 64 other Canadian women and will make it  easier (we hope) for the next transwoman who wishes to compete in her Miss Universe system national pageant.

In the process of tenaciously fighting for her dream to happen, she gave transwomen around the world an opportunity to jump start educational conversations about who we are, how transphobic and wrong that rule was and what we are capable of doing if we're just given the opportunity to try.

It's never easy to be a trailblazer, and Jenna did so with class and dignity.   Her sister contestants agree with me since she was one of three women who tied for the Miss Congeniality award for this 2012 pageant. 

It'll be interesting moving forward from this date to see what transpires next for Jenna in the future and see if she makes come true her stated goals of becoming a Victoria's Secret model and getting the swimsuit cover of Sports Illustrated.

I have the feeling that this determined young woman somehow will make it happen and expand the boundaries of what is possible for #girlslikeus.

You're still a winner in our eyes, Jenna.   

Good Luck Jackie!

Jenna Talackova isn't the only transwoman competing to wear a pageant crown this month.   So is Britain's Jackie Green.

If her name sounds familiar to you, it's because two years ago Jackie was in the news as the youngest person ever in Britain to undergo sex reassignment surgery.  While it is covered under Britain's National Health Service, the minimum age is 18.  

Jackie flew to Thailand because at the time minors were allowed to have SRS until the Medical Council of Thailand enacted changes in 2009 that pushed the minimum age to 18, required HRT and living in the desired gender for a year.

Jackie underwent SRS on her 16th birthday and happily started living her life. 




The now 18 year old Jackie was spotted by talent scouts at Britain's Next Top Model  in London that  encouraged her to enter the Miss England pageant and were unaware of her trans history.

She wowed the judges and got enough public support to make the semifinals of the Miss England pageant that will take place on May 30.   If she wins it, she would represent England at the 63rd Miss World pageant in China and be poised to make some trans history in the process.   

However, at this point and time the Miss World pageant officials have yet to announce whether they would follow the example of the Miss Universe system and allow transwomen to compete.

But good luck to Jackie and hope she does end up with the crown.

Good Luck Jenna!

Jenna Talackova has arrived in Toronto for the Miss Canada Universe pageant and what she hopes will be a successful history making conclusion to the end of her week of competition.

As you loyal TransGriot readers are aware of she fought a pitched battle to remain a contestant in the 2012 Miss Canada Universe pageant after she was disqualified under the bogus 'natural born woman' rule.

That rule was instituted by pageant owner Donald Trump after the 2001 Miss Universe pageant competition in Puerto Rico included rumors that Miss France Elodie Gossuin was a transwoman.


Talackova was reinstated after her dismissal sparked worldwide outrage, an online petition that garnered over 30,000 signatures and saw Los Angeles based attorney Gloria Allred taking up her case. 

The natural born woman' rule has been dropped and all national pageants in the Miss Universe system starting in 2013 will be open to transwomen in those nations who meet the Miss Universe pageant contestant eligibility requirements.


But many pageant fans eyes around the world this week will turn toward the Great White North and be focused on the 23 year old Talackova's history making turn as the first open transwomen to compete in a predominately cis female pageant. 

You still have time to vote for Jenna in the Miss Canada Universe's People's Choice Award that will be announced on May 17

The people checking out the happenings in Toronto will include my pageant happy transsisters from the Philippines and Thailand and probably China's Chen Lili.   She was the 2004 Miss China delegate but was denied the opportunity to compete because of that now defunct 'natural born woman' rule.  

She's got 65 people she's competing against for the honor of representing Canada in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant that is scheduled.to be held in December 2012 in a venue to be determined.  

If she does win the Miss Universe Canada one, she would make history again as the first open trans contestant to compete and win her national pageant in addition to becoming the first transwoman to openly compete in the Miss Universe pageant.

Wouldn't that cause a major spike in the television ratings for the 2012 Miss Universe pageant?

Best of luck Jenna.  Your trans sisters in your home and native land and around the globe are rooting for you to win. 

Even if you don't leave Toronto on May 19 with the crown, you did something far more important by fighting an injustice aimed at you, jump starting a worldwide conversation about our humanity, femininity and getting people to recognize how transphobic and stupid that 'natural born woman' rule was.

You also smashed a glass ceiling by getting this iconic pageant system to open its doors to young transwomen around the world who may have dreamed of winning this title and can now make it happen.

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Help Jenna Win The Miss Canada Universe People's Choice Award

The 2012 edition of the Miss Universe Canada pageant as you know will make history with Jenna Talackova becoming the first transwoman being allowed to compete in it.   

This pageant also has a People's Choice Award in which you get to vote for one of the contestants with the winner being announced during the prelim show on May 17.

The voting for the People's Choice Award is happening now as I compile this post, and as a way for us to show some support for our trans sister let's see if we can help her win that People's Choice Award. 

You can click on that link which will take you to the People's Choice Award section of the Miss Canada Universe website and vote for Jenna.
The winner will be announced during the May 17 preliminary broadcast

Here's hoping she not only wins the People's Choice Award but wins Miss Canada Universe on May 19.

Can The Girls Of The African Diaspora End The Title Drought At Miss International Queen 2011?

As I mentioned in a previous post, although there have been African descended girls in the Miss International Queen pageant, there has never been a person from the African diaspora who has walked away with the crown.  Stasha Sanchez came tantalizingly close with her finish in the top three last year as the second runner up in this internationally renowned and most coveted title in the trans pageant world.

This year the 24 candidates represent 18 countries and the candidates from the African Diaspora include Sahhara, a Nigerian born UK resident who is the first ever continental African contestant in the Miss International Queen event, Brazilian Yasmin Dream and two African-American girls in 2010-11 Miss Continental titleholder Mokha Montrese and perennial Miss Continental competitor Silkie O'Hara Munro

When the pageant week starts on October 30 Thai time (today on my side of the International Date Line) and concludes with the televised final on November 4 (November 3), will 2010 queen Mini Han be placing the crown on one of their heads or will the title drought continue as the crown is placed on the coiffed head of one of the other 20 contestants?

Will let you TransGriot readers know what transpires at Miss International Queen 2011

Miss International Queen 2011 To Be Held Next Month

The 2011 Miss International Queen pageant, the world's best known transgender pageant with the stated goal of fostering understanding of transgender communities worldwide, will be held in Pattaya, Thailand next month.

It is wildly popular in the Land of Smiles and not only does the venue it is held in sell out, the pageant finals get national TV coverage in addition to drawing interest from various international news networks 

This year's edition of the Miss International Queen pageant will be conducted from October 31 to November 4 at Tiffany's Show Theater in Pattaya.   The competition is open to transgender and transsexual people from around the world aged 18-36 and will allow them to show off their beauty and intelligence.

And yes, there are prizes and cash they are competing for.  Winners of the pageant not only get ot claim the  Miss International Queen title but cash prizes of up to $10,000 .

The Miss International Queen pageant is organized each year to help improve cultural acceptance of transgender people and create human rights awareness, promoting Pattaya as a center for entertainment and tourism and as a charity event to raise money for the Royal AIDS Foundation.

Of course, like I've done on TransGriot for several years now, I'll keep you posted on who won.

Miss Continental 2011-2012 Is...

The 31st annual Miss Continental Pageant finals were held Monday night at the Vic Theater in Chicago and Alexis Gabrielle Sherrington was crowned the winner.

Alexis is another one of the girls who had come close in past pageants but just missed taking the crown.  She was the 2nd Alternate in 2004-05. 

The 1st Alternate for the 2011-12 edition of Miss Continental was Fontasia L'amour with the 2nd Alternate spot being claimed by Tiffany Hunter.   The other finalists were Stasha Sanchez and Jennifer St. Cartier.

The Miss Continental pageant occurs every Labor Day weekend and it is not only a hot ticket, but is one of the prestigious titles in the pageant world.  One of the former winners of this pageant was actress Candis Cayne, who took the 2001-02 title back to New York and has since found mainstream success as an actress.  

Congrats to Alexis Gabrielle Sherrington, Miss Continental 2011-2012.