MISS ITALY PAGEANT BANS TRANSGENDER COMPETITORS: ‘A BIT ABSURD’
The Miss Universe Organization published a subsequent announcement declaring that amid “the current financial situation” that “We confirm that Miss Universe 2023 will be held in El Salvador on 18 November 2023, where a top notch experience provided to our fans will remain our top priorities.” [sic]
This year’s Miss Universe pageant is slated to feature at least two transgender people who identify as women for the first time, Miss Portugal, a flight attendant named Marina Machete, and Rikkie Kollé, who is the first transgender Miss Netherlands. This follows Spain’s Ángela Ponce, who was the pageant’s first trans contestant overall in 2018, but did not advance to the finals.
This photo taken on November 8, 2023 shows Miss Universe aspirants attending a gala event at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador in San Salvador, host city of the 72th edition of the Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to (Getty Images)
TRANSWOMAN MODEL WINS MISS UNIVERSE NETHERLANDS IN HISTORIC MOMENT: ‘I DID IT’
Machete released a video in September lamenting that “rising levels of transphobia and intolerance are alarming worldwide.” However, Machete declared it was “heartwarming” to see “that the Miss Universe organization is so inclusive, breaking boundaries and creating a platform for women not only to empower them but as well to create real changes in their own communities.”
“Trans women are women, full stop,” the Miss Universe Organization told CNN in October, following Miss Portugal’s crowning. “We are here to celebrate women, full stop. This has been true for more than a decade, and we’re proud to have made this change very early on, compared to other programs.”
Transgender bathroom debate
JKN Global group and the Miss Universe Organization have yet to respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
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