Beauty queens representing the queer community

Beauty queens representing the queer communityQueer queens are taking over the international stages with beauty pageant contestants finally coming out as part of the LGBTQIA community.

by Obakeng Pholo

03-11-2022 17:46

in LGBTQIA

Lehlogonolo Machaba Former 2019 Miss South Africa contestant, LGBTQIA activist and Model. Photo: Instagram @lehlogonolo.machaba

After former pageant queens Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina came out as the first beauty queens to get married this week, this sparked conversations around queer representation in beauty pageants.

--

Here are beauty queens you may not know are part of the LGBTQIA community.

Mariana Varela and Fabiola Valent n First beauty queens to get married to each other Former Miss Argentina Mariana Varela and Miss Puerto Rico Fabiola Valent n made history this past weekend after tying the knot over the weekend becoming the first beauty queens in history to publicly get married to each other.

They took to Instagram to announce their marriage saying After deciding to keep our relationship private, we opened the doors to them on a special day 28/10/22.

--

Former Miss Argentina Mariana Varela and Miss Puerto Rico Fabiola Valent n. Photo: Instagram @fabiolavalentinpr/The South African ALSO READ: A match made in pageant heaven? Beauty queens wed each other

Lehlogonolo Machaba First transgender woman in Miss South Africa Fashion design graduate and model, Lehlogonolo Machaba made history in 2021 by becoming the first transgender woman to make it to Miss South Africa's top 30 finalists, this was the first time the Miss South Africa pageant allowed a transgender person to enter the competition.

When asked about entering Miss SA she said:

--

Transgender women are almost always ostracised from such opportunities, which is why I never thought I'd see anyone like myself on such a platform. I believe that being chosen would raise hope in a lot of little girls like myself.

Lehlogonolo Machaba Lehlogonolo Machaba made history in 2021 as the first trans woman to make it to the top 30 finalists. Photo: Twitter @moe_suttle/ The South African ALSO READ: Lehlogonolo Machaba: Miss SA trans contestant returns for second shot

ngela Ponce First transgender woman in Miss Universe Former Miss Universe Spain Angela Ponce is the first transgender woman to compete at the Miss Universe pageant 2018.

The pageant in 2012 scraped its policy that all contestants must be natural-born women. She became the first transgender person to compete in an international beauty pageant.

Ponce said in an interview quoted by EWN I always say: having a vagina didn't transform me into a woman. I am a woman, already before birth, because my identity is here,

Angela Ponce of Spain competes during the 2018 Miss Universe Pageant in Bangkok on December 17, 2018. Photo: AFP Swe Zin First openly lesbian woman in Miss Universe In 2019 Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet became the first openly gay contestant to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.

She says that she wants the world to accept the LGBTQ community and their right to choose their own path and pursuit of happiness,

Despite the fact that her country has laws against homosexuality she received a lot of support from her fans in her home country.

Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet competes during the 2019 Miss Universe pageant at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia on December 8, 2019. Photo:VALERIE MACON/AFP If you have any queer stories to share send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com or a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211

ENTER The South African Queer survey 2022 & stand a chance to win R5 000!

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/lgbtqia/pageant-queens-get-mar...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines