Panama allows transgender women to compete in beauty pageant

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The organizers said that transgender women who “have completed all their legal and medical procedures” can take part in the pageant from this year. The winner will represent Panama at the Miss Universe pageant.

The organizers of Panama’s national beauty contest announced this week that transgender women who “have completed all their legal and medical procedures” can take part in its competition from this year.

“Miss Panama will permit women officially legally recognized in the country,” said Señorita Panama. “Guaranteed to be an inclusive organization, we approved this decision based on strict legal guidelines and according to previous international agreements,” the organization added.

The Señorita Panama pageant sends a contestant from Panama each year to the international Miss Universe competition.

Change is coming

The organizers said that the decision was made “after plenty of conversations” and was in line with the rules of the Miss Universe organization.

Panama now joins Spain, Canada and Nepal, among others, in allowing transgender contestants to take part in the international beauty pageant.

The Miss Universe competition lifted a ban on transgender contestants in 2012 and the first transgender woman, Angela Ponce, participated in the competition in 2018.

Source: Reuters/AFP/DW