Introduction: In a powerful display of protest, more than 100 transgender men have boldly registered for this year’s Miss Italia beauty pageant. Their aim is to challenge the organizers’ discriminatory rule that restricts participation to “biological women” only. This controversial clause has faced criticism from Italian trans activists who are fighting for inclusivity and visibility for transgender individuals in the pageant.
Read More: Outrage over Miss Italia’s Exclusionary Rule: Miss Italia organizer Patrizia Mirigliani recently reaffirmed the pageant’s long-standing rule that contestants must be “women from birth,” dismissing the notion of including trans women as “absurd.” This position has been met with swift condemnation from the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in light of the historic success of Rikki Valerie Kollé, a trans woman crowned Miss Netherlands 2023.
Standing up for Visibility and Inclusivity: Responding to Mirigliani’s remarks, over 100 transgender men have courageously signed up for Miss Italia as an act of protest. Federico Barbarossa, an activist from southern Italy, initiated this campaign to challenge the pageant’s “outdated” views on gender and biology. These participants hope to shed light on the truth about transgender people and advocate for their rightful inclusion and acceptance.
Read Also: Miss Italia and Italy’s Troubling Anti-LGBTQ+ Sentiment: The Miss Italia registration movement takes place against the backdrop of prevailing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments in Italy. The country recently elected a far-right Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who campaigned against LGBTQ+ rights and “gender ideology.” Under her administration, authorities in various Italian cities have even gone so far as to remove lesbian mothers’ names from their children’s birth certificates.
Diverging Paths: Miss Italia vs. Miss Universe: It is crucial to distinguish Miss Italia from the international Miss Universe beauty pageant, which embraces transgender women. Thai trans businesswoman Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip acquired the Miss Universe franchise and expressed a commitment to celebrating diversity and inclusivity. Rikki Valerie Kollé, the first openly transgender winner of Miss Netherlands, will represent her country at Miss Universe 2023, following in the footsteps of Angela Ponce, who made history as the first openly transgender contestant in 2018.
Read Next: The Fight for Transgender Rights and Inclusion Continues: