Miss Panama 'opens doors' for transgender female contestants to compete in pageant

The Miss Panama organisation has announced that from this year, the pageant would include transgender women in its competitions who have “completed all their legal and medical procedures”. As per the CNN Indonesia report, the organisers disclosed the update in the rules on Monday, "after plenty of conversations".  The Senorita Panama's beauty contest is responsible for choosing the country’s representative for the Miss Universe pageant and it said that the decision on including Transgender women was reportedly made “after plenty of conversations and in line with the rules of the Miss Universe organization."

As per the report, the requirements must be met by transgender women before registering for the competition that they have completed the legal process regarding their gender as well as the essential medical procedures. The organisation said in a statement reported by several media outlets, “Following the basis of the agreement with Miss Universe, we announce that by 2021, women who are legally recognized will be legally allowed, and doors are open to transgender women.”

Read - Plea Requesting 'Transgender Welfare Board' Initiation To Check Cases Of Abuse Filed In SC

Read - Transgender Pooja Wins Commuters' Hearts On Local Train; Gets Message From Ankita Lokhande

Miss Universe allowed transgender female contestants in 2012

The announcement by Senorita Panama's beauty contest came after the Miss Universe beauty contest itself has allowed the transgender female contestants. Even though the rules were implemented in 2012, in 2018 Angela Ponce became the first transgender woman to become a Miss Universe contestant representing Spain. Panama has joined other nationals beauty pageants such as Spain, Canada, Nepal to accept transgender contestants. 

The Miss Universe competition is reportedly aired in 190 countries to at least half a billion viewers. In 2018, the first indigenous winner of  Señorita Panama, Rosa Montezuma, competed in Miss Universe but did not bag a place. Nepal is also among the fewer than a dozen countries in the world that accept transgender contestants which is only the third in Asia after Myanmar and Mongolia, according to LGBTQ+ activists. Angel Lama in December 2020 made history by becoming the first trans women to enter the final of Miss Universe Nepal, which is also one of the most glamorous national events. 

Read - Set Up Separate Toilet Facilities For Transgender People In Offices: Delhi Govt To Depts, MCDs

Read - Mississippi Senate: Ban Transgender Athletes On Female Teams