Making History: Trans Women To Participate In Miss Universe

 

Two trans women- Marina Machete Miss Portugal and Rikkie Kolle Miss Netherlands- will compete in this year’s Miss Universe pageant, which is poised to make history. 90 women, including trans women, from all over the world will compete in the Miss Universe pageant.

The 72nd Miss Universe pageant, which is scheduled to take place in November of this year at the National Gymnasium in San Salvador, El Salvador, will feature trans women representing their nations. 

Rikkie and Marina have always raised their voices in support of diversity in beauty pageants. Marina Machete stated, “As a trans woman, I’ve faced many obstacles along the way, but fortunately, and especially with my family, love proved to be stronger than ignorance,” in a video uploaded to the Portuguese pageant’s YouTube channel before to the Miss Portugal competition.