Filipino-American Kataluna Enriquez First Transwoman to Join Miss USA

Filipino-American Kataluna Enriquez made history as the first transgender woman to qualify for Miss USA.

The 27-year-old beauty queen will be the first openly transwoman to compete for the title of Miss USA. She won Miss Nevada on Monday (US time).

Enriquez will represent Nevada in the next Miss USA pageant, which will be held on November 29. She beat over 21 other contestants.

“Congratulations to our new Miss Nevada USA,” read the message on a photo shared on the Miss Nevada USA Instagram page with Enriquez and the pageant’s executive director, former Miss USA Shanna Moakler. It went on to say, “History has been created!”

The 27-year-old winner had competed in a transgender pageant in 2016, but she switched to cisgender pageants last year. Currently, she’s utilizing her platform to talk about the obstacles she’s experienced as a trans woman competing in pageants.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Review-Journal quoted Enriquez as saying, “With pageantry, people assume it’s solely about beauty.” “However, it is how you portray yourself, what you advocate for, what you’ve done, and your objectives.”

Kataluna Enriquez Bullied Growing Up

According to Kataluna, she’s bullied by peers and at school when she was young. Her school forbade her from using either the boys’ or girls’ restrooms.

She also revealed that a previous pageant forced her to undergo a medical checkup and submit a doctor’s certificate verifying her gender, an intrusive condition not imposed on any other contestants. The organizers of the contest also failed to provide her with a roommate. All ladies had roommates except her.

Kataluna would be the second trans woman to compete in the Miss Universe competition if she wins Miss USA. Angela Ponce of Spain competed in Miss Universe in 2018.

Congratulations, Kataluna! Truly deserving of the crown and the platform!

Follow Hyprgame on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates!