Miss Trans Global is an annual international pageant for transgender women. The event broadcasts live on multiple social networking websites from London, England. It has gained traction for transgender advocacy, raising awareness about queer culture and LGBT concerns, particularly in countries where transphobia and homophobia are prevalent. The pageant presents itself as a safe space for transgender women to share their experiences through speeches, talent shows, and artistic performances. Mela Habijan of the Philippines won the first edition of Miss Trans Global in an event held virtually on September 12, 2020. Sruthy Sithara of India won the second edition where she was the first Indian transgender woman to win an international transgender pageant. The current winner is Laura Pereira of Italy, who was crowned on 31 March 2025, in London, United Kingdom.
History The pageant was founded by Miss Sahhara, a transgender activist, and beauty queen who was behind Queen of Nations, another pageant for transgender women which has been held in the United Kingdom for the past 13 years. According to Sahhara, she and her team thought of holding the 10th edition of Queen of Nations in 2017 online. Instead, they decided to launch a new title which is mainly geared towards transgender advocacy, education, and trans-empowerment through multiple digital platforms. They aimed to create an inclusive and accessible space for all transgender women from diverse backgrounds to express themselves on an international stage without leaving their homes or country. According to Miss Sahhara, Miss Trans Global was conceived in 2017 and realized during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with the aim of engaging transgender communities through an online international pageant. The organizing team includes Sally Adams, a media and entertainment lawyer, Rica Paras, an information technology professional, and Imanni Da Silva, a model, artist, television presenter, and social activist.
The exclusion of trans women contestants from female pageantry In 2019, transgender pageant winner Anita Green filed a suit against Miss United States LLC on the grounds of gender identity discrimination. Green entered a franchise of Miss United States after participating in Miss Earth United States, but was refused entry because of the competition rule which states that only a 'natural born female' is allowed to participate. A federal court dismissed Green's discrimination case against the pageant. The court filing submitted by Miss United States constantly misgendered Green and used derogatory words to invalidate the complainant's gender identity. Miss United States also says that allowing transgender women to compete in their competition would "undermine its vision" and would undermine their "message of biological female empowerment." John T. Kaempf, the Miss United States pageant's lawyer praised the dismissal of Green's lawsuit, stating that the pageant "is not anti-transgender." "Miss United States wants to be able to hold a pageant that is only for biological females,". He stated that the organization "believes there can be a Miss Black USA pageant, a Miss Native American pageant, or a transgender pageant." In an interview with KGW, Green said, "I compete in pageantry to show that there are many different types of beauty... To me, that rule was saying that transgender women aren't women, and that sends a very harmful message." Unperturbed by the news of the dismissal of her case, Green said “she is not giving up on her fight for justice for transgender women, and she is very proud of her achievement in raising awareness about the discrimination transgender women face in pageantry”. "This case brought awareness to an issue many people were and still are unaware of," Green told Oregon Live, "and that issue is that discrimination against transgender people is still actively happening in the private and public sector even within the pageant circuit."
The exclusion of transgender women from female only spaces Some transgender activists have affirmed that the exclusion of transgender women from female-only spaces such as sports, pageants, and bathrooms has necessitated the creation of dedicated spaces for transgender people. Others argue that it may foster segregation. Sociologist and feminist campaigner Finn Mackay stated in an interview with The Guardian, that reducing womanhood to fertility and genitals trivialises the damage done by patriarchy influenced by politics when it comes to sexuality and gender. "They do it for ideological reasons, as part of a campaign for trans exclusion. When people turn round and say: 'This is a dog whistle' – of course it is! Otherwise, why would you be chatting about people's genitals?" Mackay asked.
Recent success Miss USA, a franchise of Miss Universe, started allowing transgender women in their pageant in 2012. The pageant's first transgender state representative was Kataluna Enriquez, winner of Miss Nevada USA. Enriquez served as a judge in the first edition of Miss Trans Global.
Goal The main premise of Miss Trans Global is to "revolutionize pageantry" by including transgender women in mainstream beauty pageantry, and to raise awareness for trans issues. Many of the contestants are also transgender rights activists. Their advocacies are heavily influenced by transphobic violence, including domestic violence, discrimination, and the murders of transgender women globally. An associate of the Miss Trans Global's team, Yunieski Carey Herrera, was murdered by her partner on November 17, 2020, in Miami, Florida. She was crowned Miss Trans Global in 2019.
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