The 28-year-old model was happy to represent Portugal at Miss Universe 2023. According to her statements, "It was an achievement that she saw as impossible to achieve."
Miss Universe 2023 is close and it is becoming known who will be the women who will represent their respective countries. This time, Portugal crowned Marina Machete as the winner: she is the first trans woman to win in her nation.
Through her social networks, the young woman, 28 years old, shared her victory on social networks and left an emotional message.
“Proud to be the first trans woman to compete for the title of Miss Universe Portugal. For years it was not possible for me to participate and today I am proud to be part of this incredible group of finalists,” she reads in the publication.
Portugal follows in the footsteps of Miss Netherlands, Rikkie Valerie Kollé, 22 years old. Her transition began at age 11: she had already identified as a woman and adopted her new name. She had the unconditional support of her family and, at 16, she began her hormone treatment. This year, she underwent s-x reassignment surgery.
Marina Machete becomes the third trans woman to set foot on the Miss Universe stage.
Who was the first trans woman to be Miss?
Angela María Ponce Camacho was born in January 1991 in the city of Seville (Spain), under the name Angel Mario. She began her transition at age 16, through hormonal treatment. She applied for Miss Spain 2018 - after a failed attempt as Miss World Cádiz since the statute prohibits the participation of transgender people - and she won.
She works with a foundation in Spain to help children fight the stigma related to being transgender.
During her participation in Miss Universe 2018, the Spanish Angela Ponce did not qualify for the final stage or among the 20 finalists of the beauty pageant. However, she was dismissed to a shower of applause. After a video of her childhood was broadcast, the beauty queen walked the catwalk to the applause of the public.
“The biggest difficulty has been facing others seeing me differently when I have never felt different. I am not a man wanting to be a woman, I am not a short circuit in my mother's belly. I am not a woman, I am a trans woman and I am part of human diversity, just as there are black people and white people, taller and shorter people,” she said in a recent interview.
Angela Ponce assured that beauty pageants are in "constant change" and "prejudices towards women are becoming less and less."
"I see beauty contests as a platform to carry a message of growing professionally. In the end, beauty contests are not what people believe, the proof is that, that there is increasing inclusion as was my case. It does a few years ago a girl who was not exactly a size 36. I think the contests are opening up to new times," he added.
