Recently, the news that transgender beauty Huong Giang will represent Vietnam in the Miss Universe 2025 pageant has caused social networks in Vietnam to explode. Many viewers were surprised because she is the first transgender beauty to be nominated by the copyright holder in Vietnam to compete in this beauty pageant.
Huong Giang is Vietnam's representative at Miss Universe 2025 (Photo: MUV).
On some international beauty forums, this information also attracted attention and received a large number of comments. In Huong Giang's list of achievements, the foreign online community was impressed with the beauty's nearly 5 million followers on Instagram and her achievements as a former Miss International Queen. The Vietnamese representative promises to be a surprising and interesting factor at the Miss Universe 2025 season.
The first transgender contestant to compete in Miss Universe
In the 70-year history of the pageant, Miss Universe has had 3 transgender representatives. The most notable of these is Spanish transgender beauty Angela Ponce. She was the first transgender representative to participate in the Miss Universe season.
In 2012, the Miss Universe organization announced that it would accept transgender contestants to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. But it wasn’t until 2018 that a transgender representative officially entered the beauty pageant.
In 2018, Spain sent a "unique" representative in their history. That was transgender beauty Angela Ponce, she participated in the Miss Universe 2018 season. She was also the first transgender beauty to be crowned Miss Universe Spain. In 2018, the representative of Vietnam was H'Hen Nie.
Angela Ponce is the first transgender contestant of Miss Universe, she participated in the 2018 season (Photo: MU).
Before coming to Miss Universe 2018, Angela Ponce defeated 22 other contestants to be crowned Miss Universe Spain 2018 and won the right to represent the country to compete at Miss Universe.
Angela Ponce is highly appreciated by international audiences for her beautiful body, 1.82m height and good performance and behavior. Her inspirational story that year touched the hearts of many fans.
Angela Ponce decided to inject female hormones and undergo gender reassignment surgery in 2014. The beauty believes this was the right decision in her life as she was able to live her true desires.
Angela Ponce shared with the media: "Who hasn't faced prejudice? Who hasn't been bullied? Genitals are not what makes me a woman. Before I was born, I was a woman."
In Spain, Angela Ponce works to help children overcome the stigma associated with transgenderism. The transgender beauty emphasizes that her participation in beauty pageants is to speak up and demand equality for transgender people.
Angela Ponce did not make it to the top of the Miss Universe 2018 season but left many impressions on the audience and international media (Photo: MU).
"Children are born without prejudice and I think if we talk to them about diversity from a young age, we can create a new generation that is more tolerant and respectful," said the former Miss Universe Spain.
Despite not making it to the top of the 2018 competition, Angela Ponce was still honored by the Miss Universe organization that year. They showed a video recording Angela Ponce as a child, as a member of the LGBT community (transgender, bisexual, and homosexual community) and her journey to the beauty pageant.
Leaving the Miss Universe 2018 pageant, Angela Ponce continues to pursue a career as a fashion model and support LGBT community activities.
She once confided: "Let the happiness you feel when you make history shine as brightly as your smile and beauty every morning. Spread it to the whole world and become a voice for those who dare not speak up."
Angela Ponce is currently a model and inspiration in her home country of Spain (Photo: Instagram).
In 2022, a runner-up of the 2018 Miss Universe Spain pageant unexpectedly posted a “teasing” post about Angela Ponce, but she only responded gently. The transgender beauty affirmed that she won the crown thanks to her hard work and efforts in the contest, not thanks to the cheers of the audience.
"The truth is that when I was crowned, you applauded. In fact, Spanish society has progressed. As Shakira says, use your brain a little and maybe next time you will be lucky," she wrote.
Transgender contestants' achievements at Miss Universe
In 2022, Thai transgender businesswoman Anne Jakrajutatip bought the Miss Universe Organization from IMG. Under her leadership, the Miss Universe pageant rules continued to change. Accordingly, married women, women with children, divorced women, single mothers, and transgender people can all participate in the most attractive beauty pageant on the planet.
Transgender businesswoman Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip is the one who made many changes in the regulations of the Miss Universe pageant (Photo: MU).
At the Miss Universe 2023 season, the audience witnessed the brilliance of two transgender representatives, Marina Machete (Miss Portugal) and Rikkie Kollé (Miss Netherlands). In addition, this season also had the participation of contestants who had given birth.
Rikkie Kollé (born 2001) is a model and activist for the transgender and bisexual community. After being crowned Miss Netherlands in July 2023, she faced a lot of criticism and discrimination.
However, the beauty has used her own voice to spread a positive message to the transgender community around the world. The Dutch transgender beauty once confided to her fans: "I see you, I love you. I hope we will continue to move forward together."
Transgender beauty Rikkie Kollé represents the Netherlands at Miss Universe 2023 (Photo: MU).
Marina Machete (born 1995) is the representative of Portugal at Miss Universe 2023. She used to be a flight attendant and model.
The transgender beauty once admitted that winning the Miss Universe Portugal pageant or participating in Miss Universe 2023 were both dreams come true for her. She brought the dreams and messages of transgender people to the international beauty pageant.
“As a transgender woman, I have faced many difficulties. But luckily, thanks to love, especially from my family, I have overcome all prejudices,” Marina Machete confided in her application to compete in Miss Universe 2023.
In the 2023 season, Portuguese transgender beauty Marina Machete made it into the top 20 of the competition. And up to now, this is the best achievement of a transgender representative at the Miss Universe arena.
Transgender beauty Marina Machete represented Portugal at Miss Universe 2023 and made it into the top 20 finalists (Photo: MU).
This year’s season also promises to be very interesting and competitive as the Organizing Committee continues to change the regulations. In addition to welcoming transgender contestants, married, having children, single mothers, and divorced, they also issued a completely new law. Accordingly, Miss Universe 2025 contestants are not limited by age.
Previously, the age limit for contestants was 28, but now, women of all ages can participate. In the national Miss Universe pageants, contestants over 40, or even 60, have boldly registered to participate to pursue their beauty queen dreams and inspire.
Miss Universe is currently one of the four most prestigious and largest international beauty pageants in the world with a large number of high-quality contestants. With bold changes, Miss Universe is also considered a pioneering beauty pageant in breaking the usual rules for a traditional beauty pageant.
The Miss Universe 2025 pageant will take place in Thailand with the finale scheduled for November 21. Currently, 25 representatives have confirmed their participation in the pageant.
Up to this point, the best achievement of a Vietnamese beauty at Miss Universe is the top 5 position of beauty H'Hen Nie in 2018. Vietnam's representative in the 2024 season is Miss Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen and she entered the top 30 finalists.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/truoc-huong-giang-hoa-hau-hoan-vu-tung-co-thi-sinh-chuyen-gioi-hay-chua-20250925094116406.htm
Comment (0)