Two judges have resigned from the Miss Universe competition, with one judge later claiming that the whole contest was rigged.
Omar Harfouch left the competition, which is currently underway in Bangkok, before the winners were announced. He posted on Instagram Wednesday that he was considering legal action against the organization for misconduct.
The former judge claimed, “two days before the final, a secret vote was held to pre-select 30 contestants out of the 136.” Harfouch went on to allege that the vote “was carried out by individuals who are not official members of the jury” and that “no one knows who the selected 30 are, except one individual who holds the results.”
He said the “same person is affiliated with a national organization of a participating country,” which is a clear “conflict of interest.”
“I could not stand before the public and television cameras, pretending to legitimize a vote I never took part in,” the post went on. “Some of the countries eliminated through this process could be at war, discriminated against, or geopolitically sensitive. Viewers would assume the jury made these decisions, and I cannot bear responsibility for a process I did not participate in. Pretending otherwise would be dishonest.”
The Lebanese-French judge <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DROu7K7kth4/?hl=en">said</a> he was considering legal action. “I was misled and publicly used to give credibility to an election process that was already compromised,” he said. Harfouch also accused a member of the group who made the selections of being romantically involved with a contestant.
Another judge, former soccer player Claude Makélélé, also left the competition on Tuesday. His Instagram blamed his departure on “unforeseen personal reasons.”
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“This was a difficult decision, as I hold Miss Universe in the highest regard,” he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DRNOAbADQ1F/">wrote</a> in the post. “I hope to be able to contribute in the future under better circumstances.”
The official Miss Universe account responded to Harfouch’s accusations with a social media post denying all claims.
“The Miss Universe Organization reiterates that all judging procedures for the 74th Miss Universe competition remain official, transparent, and fully governed by MUO protocols,” it <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DRNDIUxk6yQ/?hl=en&amp;img_index=2">said</a>. “The Beyond the Crown Program operates independently and is not part of the competition’s evaluation process. We encourage all audiences to refer exclusively to verified MUO communications and to continue supporting the delegates who embody the values of Miss Universe.”
The organization did not immediately return The Daily Wire’s request for additional comment on the allegations.
The pageant began on November 5 and concludes Friday. Earlier this month, several contestants walked out after one of the contest&#8217;s co-owners reprimanded Miss Mexico, Fátima Bosch, for not participating in promotional activities. Thai businessman Nawat Itsaragrisil later apologized for the incident.
Then on Wednesday, the Miss Universe pageant made headlines again after Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry fell off the stage and had to be carried away on a stretcher. She is currently recovering and is “stable” with “no broken bones,” per a social media <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRPdoV_iYvk/">update</a>.

Miss Universe

Two Miss Universe Judges Resign, One Claims Contest Is Rigged

Beauty Pageant

General

Thailand

World

North Carolina Tar Heels head football coach Bill Belichick, 73, was spotted in the front row chatting with the father of his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, as she competed in the Miss Maine USA pageant over the weekend. Hudson ultimately came in third place as the second runner-up.
The former Bridgewater State University cheerleader came in second place during the same competition last year, and multiple outlets noted that Hudson looked visibly upset after the results were revealed. Her bodyguard issued a terse “She’s not answering” when reporters asked her for comment, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/11/us-news/jordon-hudson-sports-sour-look-on-her-face-after-failing-to-win-miss-maine-usa-pageant-in-front-of-bill-belichick/">the New York Post</a>. 
During the pageant, Hudson said, &#8220;I hope those watching this find the strength to push through whatever it is and embody that hate never wins.&#8221;
The New England native, who is the daughter of a fisherman, was also given the pageant&#8217;s style award on stage. Shelby Powell of Bangor won the regional event and will go on to represent Maine at the Miss USA contest.
Belichick and Hudson met in 2021 and went public with their romance in 2024. Their relationship has become the subject of renewed scrutiny following a CBS interview Belichick did to promote his new book, which included a clip of his girlfriend shutting down a line of questioning about their history. 
“We’re not talking about this,” Hudson snapped when interviewer Tony Dokoupil asked how they met. Video of that interaction quickly went viral.
Belichick subsequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-belichick-accuses-cbs-of-selectively-editing-interview-to-make-younger-girlfriend-look-bad?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Bill+Belichick+Accuses+CBS+Of+%E2%80%98Selectively+Editing%E2%80%99+Interview+To+Make+Younger+Girlfriend+Look+Bad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued a statement</a> defending his girlfriend, saying he was “surprised when unrelated topics were introduced” and noting that he had requested that the interview not include any questions about his personal life. 
“[Hudson] was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track,” Belichick said. “The final eight-minute segment does not reflect the productive 35-minute conversation we had, which covered a wide range of topics related to my career. Instead, it presents selectively edited clips and stills from just a few minutes of the interview to suggest a false narrative — that Jordon was attempting to control the conversation — which is simply not true.”
CBS News responded to the statement, saying, “When we agreed to speak with Mr. Belichick, it was for a wide-ranging interview. There were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation.”

Miss Maine USA competition

Bill Belichick Had A Front Row Seat As 24-Year-Old Girlfriend Falls Short At Beauty Pageant

Bill Belichick

Entertainment

Maine

U.S.

The pageant world is having a real moment right now — and an unhappy one at that. What is the uproar all about? Basically, pageants have turned to glorifying being obese and being a man. And the American people aren’t happy about any of it.
The first uproar comes from Alabama, where the tide has turned, so to speak. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The girl in the middle just won Miss Alabama.
Thoughts? <a href="https://t.co/EVmNxHZSUl">pic.twitter.com/EVmNxHZSUl</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1798848246569418851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Suffice it to say, pageants aren’t what they used to be. This year’s winner, 23-year-old Sara Milliken, says she believes all body types should be represented.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The winner of Miss Alabama. She promotes inclusivity and representation of all bodies. We need to stop glorifying obesity. Obesity isn’t healthy. <a href="https://t.co/kQfkudqOyR">pic.twitter.com/kQfkudqOyR</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1798890188988612661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The comments are exactly what you would anticipate them to be. One noted that we have gone so far as to promote mental and physical illness, which is true. Victims receive attention and social clout, so why not play the victim role? This has been going on for quite some time, and now, it’s made its way to the pageant world. 
<div id="attachment_749673" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749673" class="wp-image-749673 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/23.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="78" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/23.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/23-300x46.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
Some of the other commenters really did not hold back:
<div id="attachment_749675" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749675" class="wp-image-749675 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/24.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="77" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/24.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/24-300x45.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
<div id="attachment_749677" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749677" class="wp-image-749677 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/25.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="128" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/25.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/25-300x75.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
Now, I will not criticize someone for their weight; however, I will address the most irritating part of this entire situation: This girl did not win because she was the most beautiful or most exceptional; she won because that looks good for the organization.
By having her win, they get to pat themselves on the back and say, “Look how progressive we are!” One tweet’s commentary explained this particularly well:
<div id="attachment_749679" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749679" class="size-full wp-image-749679" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/26.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="372" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/26.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/26-300x218.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
My friend Link Lauren (<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@itslinklauren?lang=en">@itslinklauren</a>) broke down the problem on TikTok clearly and concisely, outlining the real issues. Per usual, Link is fully balanced in his TikTok breakdown. (And don’t worry. The news Link reveals about Maryland is coming up.)
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@itslinklauren/video/7377564374149467435?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-749683" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/05/27.png" alt="" width="349" height="512" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/05/27.png 349w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/05/27-204x300.png 204w" sizes=" (max-width: 349px) 100vw, 349px" /></a>
He acknowledges he loves a good joke, but he also says he doesn’t think the newly crowned National American Miss, Miss Alabama deserves to be shamed endlessly. His main point is two-fold. First, until just a few years ago, the mainstream media revered thin body types, but just the right amount of thin. If you were too thin, you were shamed for that. But now, the pendulum has swung too far to the other side. You can’t criticize someone like Lizzo because she’s a “body positivity icon.” Second, Link brings up the fact that it’s much easier, cheaper, and accessible to order a Big Mac than to find organic food. Furthermore, physical fitness in schools has gone by the wayside. 
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/meet-the-new-faces-of-american-pageantry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Comments Section with Brett Cooper</a></h4>
So, according to Link, there are two conversations to be had — and he is spot on. The comments were supportive and issued some common sense of their own. One responded that she doesn’t see Sara’s crown “as a win” because they “are supposed to be role models.” One other comment gets to another serious issue: While Alabama put the crown on a woman, Maryland put the crown on a man. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-749689" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/28.png" alt="" width="512" height="142" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/28.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/28-300x83.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></div>
Screenshot: TikTok [sic: also should not be]
<div id="attachment_749693" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749693" class="wp-image-749693 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/44.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="79" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/44.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/44-300x46.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
Bailey Anne, a person with XY chromosomes, is the new Miss Maryland. 
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Bailey Anne is a male who just won miss Maryland while pretending to be a woman. It&#39;s hard to feel bad for the women when they just watch and clap&#8230; 
Women, stand up and speak out!! Do not let your spaces and titles be taken over by men! <a href="https://t.co/BIcbJLBcpK">pic.twitter.com/BIcbJLBcpK</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1798877068681474086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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After being crowned, Bailey Anne declared, “Not everyone has to agree with the spaces that you occupy, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of these opportunities.” This narcissistic declaration is wrong in a couple ways. It is not that someone is not worthy; every human being is. It is that you do not qualify for this particular opportunity.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A man just won Miss Maryland 2024.
Are you paying attention?<a href="https://t.co/7hHHCw7FKx">pic.twitter.com/7hHHCw7FKx</a>
&mdash; Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1798837067696222261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Incredibly, Bailey was proud to address America for having “celebrated women universally, no matter their gender.” Celebrate women, no matter their gender. That doesn’t even make any sense. It is utterly absurd, illogical, and wrong. One commenter said “he had no right” being there, and the actual women contestants shouldn’t have even gotten on stage with him. Thankfully, that is slowly starting to happen more as we are seeing in sports. 
<div id="attachment_749695" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749695" class="wp-image-749695 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/45.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="94" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/45.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/45-300x55.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
Another commenter brought up a valuable point that beauty contests are not just for show or for the title; they come with financial benefits and career opportunities. To be sure, I find the lengths some people go to in pageant culture quite funny, but in truth, many of these pageants (especially Miss America) are an esteemed launchpad for women. 
<div id="attachment_749699" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749699" class="wp-image-749699 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/46.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="166" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/46.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/46-300x97.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
Isn’t this what we fought for? Didn’t we, as women, fight to have equal opportunities and spaces of our own? Wasn’t one of the founding reasons to have pageants in the first place so that women could have a chance to get ahead in a man’s world? Now, a biological man won. Unbelievable. 
<div id="attachment_749701" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-749701" class="wp-image-749701 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/47.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="395" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/47.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/47-300x231.png 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
This is yet another example of how society is going backwards. Even though I disagree with why Miss Alabama won the National American Miss title, at least the crown went to a woman.

DW_Comment_Section_8526RT copy

Society Is Moving Backwards And The Pageant World Is Proving It

Brett Cooper

Opinion

Readers Pass

Social Media

Woke Culture

Women

The newly crowned National American Miss, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beauty-pageant">Miss Alabama</a> is facing backlash online for what critics are saying is the promotion of unhealthy lifestyles.
Sara Milliken, 23, was named the winner of the National American Miss pageant competition over Memorial Day weekend and has since gone viral online. The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alabama">Alabama</a> native auditioned twice previously and did not place, then won the crown in 2024. 
“No matter what your body looks like, no matter where you come from, you can do anything you set your mind to,” she told <a href="https://www.wkrg.com/mobile-county/cyberbullying-after-viral-facebook-post-spurs-outpouring-of-support-for-alabama-pageant-queen-explanation-of-comment-moderation/">WKRG</a> in an interview about the win.
The contestant said she expected negativity because of her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/obesity">weight</a>. “Even something that you type over a screen can have a lasting impression on people,” she told the outlet. “Even though I&#8217;m not at that point, it can lead people to do some very dark things to themselves,” the beauty pageant winner added.
Many of the negative comments focused on how Milliken’s win glorified obesity, noting how this was not meant to be a personal attack.
“Calling her beautiful is fine and good that’s all in the eye of the beholder,” one Facebook commenter wrote. “But let’s be honest with ourselves&#8230; she’s extremely unhealthy and this is a slap in the face to the young girls who have worked hard and maintained a diet to actually be a beauty queen.”
“This is an embarrassment to the state of Alabama,” the social media user added.
“The winner of Miss Alabama. She promotes inclusivity and representation of all bodies. We need to stop glorifying obesity. Obesity isn’t healthy,” Libs of TikTok shared on X.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The winner of Miss Alabama. She promotes inclusivity and representation of all bodies. We need to stop glorifying obesity. Obesity isn’t healthy. <a href="https://t.co/kQfkudqOyR">pic.twitter.com/kQfkudqOyR</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1798890188988612661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
“Body positivity was one of, if not the worst thing we have done as a society in the last 30 years. If anyone truly cared about her, they would tell her the truth,” a commenter on X <a href="https://x.com/mikemayfieldlv/status/1798892634783789273">agreed</a>.
The newly crowned Miss Alabama responded to the negative comments with a lengthy Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7sDg0hvhmn/">post</a>.
“Recently I have been the target of an overwhelming amount of online hate, negativity, and bullying. Honestly, it doesn’t affect me in the way most would think it does. A lot of people see me stepping into this title as wanting to be ‘in the spotlight’ and because of that their words are justified. The truth is I wanted this title so desperately to serve my community,” Milliken wrote.
“More than anything I just wish people could find something more interesting to do or something more interesting to talk about,” she continued. 
“The things that has been said about me is truly disgusting and I cannot fathom how people think it’s ok to say these things. The easy thing would be to give up. I could hide my face. Stop posting on social media. Make no appearances. Stay low key until Nationals. I could even give in and give up my title. But instead I say WATCH ME.”
Besides controversy over the Miss Alabama crowning, pageant fans are also questioning the state winner in the Miss USA competition. Bailey Anne Kennedy, a biological male who identifies as trans, became the first “trans woman” to be named <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/newly-crowned-miss-maryland-usa-is-a-man" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miss Maryland</a>. Auburn University student Diane Westhoven was <a href="https://www.al.com/life/2024/06/miss-alabama-usa-2024-miss-southern-plains-wins-the-crown.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowned</a> Miss Alabama USA last weekend. 
Kennedy and Westhoven will next head to Los Angeles to compete for Miss USA. The competition is scheduled to air on Sunday, August 4 on The CW.
This article has been updated to reflect that Milliken won the National American Miss pageant, which is different from the Miss USA pageant and the Miss Alabama organization.

crown

Controversy Erupts Over Plus Sized Miss Alabama Winning Crown

Alabama

Obesity

The new Miss Maryland USA is a man.
Bailey Anne Kennedy was crowned last Saturday. Kennedy will now be part of the Los Angeles competition for Miss USA, which is part of the Miss Universe Pageant, on August 4.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Bailey Anne, a man who pretends to be a woman, was just crowned Miss Maryland USA. 
Bailey hopes this &quot;accomplishment&quot; inspires more confused men to steal the achievements of real women.
Why are women allowing this to happen? <a href="https://t.co/j47o89G8hl">pic.twitter.com/j47o89G8hl</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1798810583271408115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Kennedy <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/bailey-anne-becomes-first-trans-woman-to-be-crowned-miss-maryland/ar-BB1nHIbA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the moment of victory was a “whirlwind because I knew it was bigger than me. I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t belong in a box — like me growing up.”
“I felt confident in my own skin at 31, which is past the old age limit, which is 28 — as you know, Miss Universe Organization lifted the restriction now — so every woman of all ages can compete,” she said.
Kennedy hopes that the victory “will open up some doors, open up some hearts for people to see that there are many aspects of LGBT community out there, and I hope I can be a positive contribution to society in making a difference like the USO program like I’m working with.”
Kennedy wrote on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7y2IZGpxn0/?img_index=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>, where a photo showed Kennedy with his apparent spouse in a U.S. Navy uniform, “Not everyone has to agree with the spaces that you occupy, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of these opportunities. The work that I will do for the remainder of my life is to make sure that children who feel like me will never have to worry about the consequences of being who they are by simply being myself and being a positive contribution to society.”
“For the longest time, I never had the need to tell anyone,” Kennedy continued. “Not because it’s a secret but it’s none of anyone’s business. To those who matter to me, they don’t care. Those that care about knowing such private &amp; personal details, don’t matter. I can’t wait to start my reign and get back to The USO office and start serving lunches &amp; personally thank our active duty service members like I originally plan [sic] to yesterday because that’s what actually matters to me.”
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“The Miss Maryland USA Instagram account says Kennedy works with the U.S. military’s United Service Organizations, or USO, a Department of Defense entity that exists to boost troop morale and promote positive feelings about the U.S. military,” The Federalist <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2024/06/07/as-miss-maryland-and-a-military-pr-rep-this-man-in-a-dress-will-interact-with-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, adding, “Kennedy will be in close proximity to many children and especially young girls as a Miss Maryland USA pageant winner.”

Tiara and Red Roses

Newly Crowned Miss Maryland USA Is A Man

Maryland

Miss USA

Transgender

A former beauty queen in Bolivia has been arrested on suspicion of gun trafficking and is under investigation in a drug case involving her boyfriend, who is on the run.
Alondra Mercado Campos, 22, was crowned Miss Charm Bolivia in 2023 and Miss Bolivia Mundo in 2020, but she now faces arms trafficking charges after a police raid on her home found a large cache of firearms and ammunition, according to local <a href="https://www.semana.com/gente/articulo/alondra-mercado-la-ex-reina-de-belleza-que-fue-enviada-a-la-carcel-tras-ser-imputada-por-trafico-de-armas/202315/">reports</a>, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/27/news/former-miss-bolivia-arrested-on-gun-trafficking-charges/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">New York Post</a> reported.
Local prosecutor Gerardo Balderas said Campos and her boyfriend, identified as Andres Vasquez, were seen on cell phone videos at numerous parties with the arms recovered in the November raid.
Campos remains behind bars in Trinidad Women&#8217;s Prison after a judge ruled that the former beauty queen is a flight risk and should be held for 30 days in pre-trial detention.
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Former Miss Bolivia arrested on gun trafficking charges <a href="https://t.co/JrUQ5bocm8">https://t.co/JrUQ5bocm8</a> <a href="https://t.co/z40sGpDOJB">pic.twitter.com/z40sGpDOJB</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1740062823990821121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
Her boyfriend, Vasquez, went on the run in late November and is wanted for alleged drug trafficking.
&#8220;The boyfriend is being investigated for trafficking in controlled substances and is a fugitive,&#8221; Balderas told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12903849/If-looks-kill-Former-Miss-Bolivia-22-arrested-following-allegations-arms-trafficking.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a>.
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Forensic tests on Campos&#8217; BMW SUV are pending to determine if the former pageant winner should also be charged with drug offenses.
Campos is very active on social media with more than 40,000 followers. Some of her posts show her and Vasquez at various locations. Others show her in racy bikinis, mini skirts, and more.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/miss-italy-announces-men-are-not-allowed-wont-jump-on-trans-activism-bandwagon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miss Italy Announces Men Are Not Allowed, Won&#8217;t Jump On Trans Activism &#8216;Bandwagon&#8217;</a>

Diamond Silver Crown Miss Pageant Beauty Contest

Former Pageant Queen Arrested On Suspicion Of Gun Trafficking

Arrested

Crime

News

The first-ever plus-sized <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/miss-universe">Miss Universe</a> contestant, Jane Dipika Garrett, said she struggles with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/obesity">weight gain</a> due to a medical condition.
The 22-year-old beauty pageant participant said she was surprised to have made it so far in the competition. Garrett, who represents Nepal, spoke with <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/plus-size-miss-universe-contestant-responds-critics-body-shaming">Fox News Digital</a> about the experience so far. 
&#8220;I really did not expect to get that much applause on the stage or that much spotlight,&#8221; Garrett told the outlet. &#8220;I came with a humble heart… but when I won on that stage, I got the loudest applause from the whole entire audience. And that felt so good because it was like a breakthrough moment for me and for society that they see something different, that they see real size beauty.&#8221;
Miss Nepal also noted how some viewers had negative reactions to her being a contender for Miss Universe.
&#8220;I see things like, &#8216;Oh, she&#8217;s a whale,&#8217; or &#8216;That&#8217;s disgusting. I&#8217;m going to vomit.&#8217; Or like, &#8216;She&#8217;s promoting obesity.&#8217; &#8216;Why don&#8217;t you go to the gym?&#8217; And things like that,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And it&#8217;s like they don&#8217;t even know my story. They don&#8217;t even know what I&#8217;m going through.&#8221;
Garrett told Fox News that she has a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This condition causes the ovaries to produce a higher amount of male sex hormones, which can lead to weight gain, irregular periods, acne, cysts, infertility, and excess hair growth.
&#8220;So it&#8217;s very easy for us to gain weight,” the beauty pageant contestant said. “Even if we just look at a piece of cake, we can gain weight,&#8221; she said. &#8220;[Critics are] just judging me from social media. And that&#8217;s their problem. I don&#8217;t let it bother me… Society can be very cruel. People can be very cruel sometimes.&#8221;
&#8220;Recently, I&#8217;ve gained a lot of weight because of my hormonal issues,” Garrett continued. “And that&#8217;s also really taken a toll on my mental health and my self-esteem because I thought that I wasn&#8217;t good enough or that I wasn&#8217;t beautiful enough. But I really had to get the validation for myself and learn how to have a positive mindset and to love myself despite not feeling my best self,&#8221; she said. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s about being confident in your own skin and accepting who you are, where you are at. So I had to really remove all of those messages that were coming from society as well as coming from my own mind. So I had to really brainwash myself again and accept who I am and love myself.&#8221;
Garrett also said she believes that any body type can be beautiful. 
&#8220;You don&#8217;t have to do something like what a celebrity does or that a model does to be considered beautiful. I think that what&#8217;s most important for you, whatever suits you, is what is beautiful for you. And then I think that&#8217;s so important to just embrace who you are and love who you are and not try to fit into what society says is beautiful,&#8221; Garrett added. 
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Miss Nepal went on to describe how she struggled with mental health and “had a lot of eating disorders and mental health issues” during childhood. 
&#8220;I would feel like I&#8217;m not good enough. I&#8217;m too big because I&#8217;ve always been naturally big-boned. The boys had naturally a bigger figure. I&#8217;ve always been curvy since I was a child,” she said.
Finally, Garrett said being healthy is more important than being very thin. &#8220;Some models can completely starve themselves and do like liposuction or something. And there&#8217;s nothing wrong with that. That&#8217;s their own choices, but then they could be promoting that as their beauty standards,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And then some people that are very overweight and are very unhealthy could be promoting that and saying that that that they&#8217;re being body positive. But I think that there should be a balance.&#8221; 
She added, “Body positivity for me basically stands for whatever body that you&#8217;re in. You accept it, you love yourself, you are embracing what you are, but you&#8217;re also going towards a healthy lifestyle.&#8221;
This year’s Miss Universe contest previously made headlines for the inclusion of two trans-identifying contestants, 23-year-old flight attendant Marina Machete who is competing as Miss Portugal and Rikkie Kollé, who won the title of Miss Netherlands.
Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua was crowned the 2023 Miss Universe during the 72nd Miss Universe Competition on November 18.

Miss Nepal

First Plus-Sized Miss Universe Contestant Describes Her Struggles With Weight Gain

Social Issues

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beauty-pageant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">beauty pageant</a> winner gave a pro-family, pro-motherhood answer during the Mrs. American contest over the weekend with a response that the audience loved as they cheered and went wild.
Mrs. South Dakota, Hannah Neeleman, a mother of seven and a farmer in Kamas, Utah, <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2023/08/27/beauty-pageant-winner-pro-family-hannah-neeleman-mrs-american/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">competed</a> on Friday in the <a href="https://www.pageantcircle.com/2023/08/mrs-american-2023-is-hannah-neeleman-of-south-dakota-for-mrs-world-2023.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national event</a> held at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort &amp; Casino in Nevada where she ended up winning the crown. It came after she gave an answer to the question, &#8220;When have you felt most empowered?&#8221;
&#8220;I have felt this feeling seven times now as I bring these sacred souls to the earth,&#8221; Neeleman told the audience as she got choked up.
&#8220;After I hold that newborn baby in my arms, the feeling of motherhood and bringing them to the earth is the most empowering feeling I have ever felt,&#8221; she added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hannah Neeleman, a mom of SEVEN, was crowned Mrs. American 2023 this weekend. 
She was asked when she felt most empowered. 
&quot;I have felt this feeling seven times when I brought these sacred souls to this earth after I hold that newborn in my arms.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/WYYoTJv79D">pic.twitter.com/WYYoTJv79D</a>
&mdash; Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) <a href="https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1696190688654741792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Neelman is now expected to go on to compete for the title of Mrs. World 2023. She follows last year&#8217;s winner of the national pageant Krisdee Clark of South Carolina who was crowned Mrs. American 2022.
The beauty pageant winner, who goes by Ballerina Farm on social media based on the name of her <a href="https://ballerinafarm.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">company</a>, shared several clips on her Instagram from the contest. One showed the moment she was crowned the winner, beating out Mandy Fave of Minnesota and Jayme Perryman of Idaho who came in second and third place, <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2023/08/27/beauty-pageant-winner-pro-family-hannah-neeleman-mrs-american/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Caller</a> noted.
&#8220;I am humbled beyond words,&#8221; Neelman wrote. &#8220;Your new Mrs American. Thank you [mrspageantry] for capturing the crowning moment.&#8221;
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Many of the comments were congratulatory, but one asked the question that was on several people&#8217;s minds: how did Neelman run in South Dakota when she lives in Utah? One person responded that in &#8220;South Dakota they have an open invitation policy. You can interview and run if chosen even if you live in another state.&#8221;
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Neelman is a former Miss New York City and graduate of the Juilliard School, the <a href="https://www.pageantcircle.com/2023/08/mrs-american-2023-is-hannah-neeleman-of-south-dakota-for-mrs-world-2023.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pageant Circle</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/miss-italy-announces-men-are-not-allowed-wont-jump-on-trans-activism-bandwagon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miss Italy Announces Men Are Not Allowed, Won&#8217;t Jump On Trans Activism &#8216;Bandwagon&#8217;</a>

Beauty Queen Props

Beauty Pageant Winner Gives Pro-Family Answer And Crowd Goes Wild

Beauty Queen

Celebrities

Motherhood

The Miss Italy beauty pageant announced that biological males are not allowed in its annual competition, requiring all contestants to &#8220;be a woman from birth.&#8221;
Miss Italy Official Patron Patrizia Mirigliani told Radio Cusano that the competition will &#8220;not jump on the glittery bandwagon of trans activism,&#8221; The Blaze <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/miss-italy-transgender-canidates-ban?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
&#8220;Lately, beauty contests have been trying to make the news by also using strategies that I think are a bit absurd,&#8221; a Google Translate version of her comments read, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/miss-netherlands-speaks-out-after-miss-italy-bans-transgender-contestants-1814782" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Newsweek.
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Miss Italy bans transgender contestants, must be a woman from birth: &#39;Will not jump on the glittery bandwagon of trans activism&#39;<a href="https://t.co/IWHAkR4XXW">https://t.co/IWHAkR4XXW</a>
&mdash; YAF (@yaf) <a href="https://twitter.com/yaf/status/1682519660263096320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Since it was born, my competition has foreseen in its regulation the clarification according to which one must be a woman from birth,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/miss-italy-pageant-bans-transgender-competitors-bit-absurd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mirigliani added</a>. &#8220;Probably because, even then, it was foreseen that beauty could undergo modifications, or that women could undergo modifications, or that men could become women.&#8221;
The announcement comes after the Miss Netherlands contest crowned trans-identifying male <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/post-truth-world-man-wins-miss-netherlands-sparking-outrage-on-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rikki Valerie Kolle</a> the winner of the 2023 contest, beating out 9 women to get the title.
&#8220;A man just won &#8216;Miss Netherlands&#8217; 2023,&#8221; Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek tweeted. &#8220;Considering the fact that we live in a post-Truth world, I wasn&#8217;t even expecting anything else. It&#8217;s all so predictable and unoriginal at this point.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A man just won “Miss Netherlands” 2023. 
Considering the fact that we live in a post-Truth world, I wasn’t even expecting anything else. It’s all so predictable and unoriginal at this point. <a href="https://t.co/j6NKo2cCvu">pic.twitter.com/j6NKo2cCvu</a>
&mdash; Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvaVlaar/status/1677976646148554753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The Netherlands is home to some of the most beautiful women on earth,&#8221; another account posted. &#8220;Of all these beautiful women, they just nominated a transgender man to be Miss Netherlands 2023. A man with a penis should be disqualified from any female beauty pageant and the fact that statement will gain me haters is just insane.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Netherlands is home to some of the most beautiful women on earth.
I mean that with all sincerity. They are gorgeous.
Of all these beautiful women, they just nominated a transgender man to be Miss Netherlands 2023.
A man with a penis should be disqualified from any female…
&mdash; Ada Lluch 🇪🇸 (@ada_lluch) <a href="https://twitter.com/ada_lluch/status/1678031091410653187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Kolle will now go on to represent the country in the 2023 Miss Universe competition. The competition is owned by a trans-identifying male.
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Kolle called the Miss Italy decision &#8220;so sad,&#8221; Newsweek noted.
In the United States, the Miss USA pageant invited its first trans-identifying male entrant in from Nevada in 2021, The National Desk <a href="https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/miss-italy-pageant-will-bar-trans-entrants-wont-join-glittery-bandwagon-of-trans-activism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>. Not to be confused with the Miss United States of America beauty contest, which won a <a href="https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2022/11/02/21-35228.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case</a> in a U.S. appeals court in 2022 that ruled it could not be forced to admit trans-identifying males as contestants.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/post-truth-world-man-wins-miss-netherlands-sparking-outrage-on-twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;Post-Truth World&#8217;: Man Wins Miss Netherlands, Sparking Outrage On Twitter</a>

Beauty Pageant-1

Miss Italy Announces Men Are Not Allowed, Won’t Jump On Trans Activism ‘Bandwagon’

Miss Italy Announces Men Are Not Allowed, Won't Jump On Trans Activism 'Bandwagon'

Italy

LGBTQ

Rikkie Kolle, a 22-year-old man, beat out nine women to attain the title of “Miss Netherlands” on Saturday, sparking outrage on social media as many users said the win showed we are experiencing a trend of erasing women. 
 The Miss Netherlands competition is part of Miss Universe, and Kolle will compete in the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador later this year. 
“A man just won &#8216;Miss Netherlands&#8217; 2023,” Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek tweeted. “Considering the fact that we live in a post-Truth world, I wasn’t even expecting anything else. It’s all so predictable and unoriginal at this point,” she added. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A man just won “Miss Netherlands” 2023. 
Considering the fact that we live in a post-Truth world, I wasn’t even expecting anything else. It’s all so predictable and unoriginal at this point. <a href="https://t.co/j6NKo2cCvu">pic.twitter.com/j6NKo2cCvu</a>
&mdash; Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvaVlaar/status/1677976646148554753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Kolle, the first transgender-identifying “Miss Netherlands” winner, also participated in the “Holland&#8217;s Next Top Model” television show in 2018, <a href="https://nos.nl/artikel/2482139-rikkie-kolle-wint-als-eerste-trans-vrouw-de-titel-miss-nederland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Dutch public broadcaster NOS. He will be the second man to compete in Miss Universe, with the first hailing from Spain in 2018. Miss Universe has allowed trans-identifying contestants since 2012, People <a href="https://people.com/human-interest/daniela-arroyo-gonzalez-will-be-first-transgender-woman-compete-miss-universe-puerto-rico/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a>. 
The Miss Netherlands judges said Kolle “has a strong story with a clear mission,” adding that they were &#8220;convinced that the organization (of Miss Nederland, ed.) will enjoy working” with him, according to translated comments from NOS. 
&#8220;I DID IT !!!!!&#8221; Kolle posted to Instagram. &#8220;It&#8217;s unreal but I get to call myself @missnederland 2023. It was an educational and beautiful journey, my year can&#8217;t be broken anymore. Making my community proud and showing it can be done,&#8221; the translated post says.
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Some on Twitter mocked Kolle&#8217;s victory, with one user <a href="https://twitter.com/ThaGoat888/status/1678037670868467713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointing out</a> that it’s really “Mr. Nederland.” Others posted clown face emojis on their tweets reporting the news. 
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“The Netherlands is home to some of the most beautiful women on earth,” another account <a href="https://twitter.com/ada_lluch/status/1678031091410653187" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>. “Of all these beautiful women, they just nominated a transgender man to be Miss Netherlands 2023. A man with a penis should be disqualified from any female beauty pageant and the fact that statement will gain me haters is just insane.”
Another <a href="https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1678046705722314754" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, “The West has completely lost the plot.”
Others pointed out the difference between Kolle and the runner-up — a woman — and said it’s clear who the winner should have been. 
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Nathalie Mogbelzada is the real Miss Netherlands 2023
&mdash; End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1678028735549784064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“Nathalie Mogbelzada is the real Miss Netherlands 2023,” End Wokeness, a popular conservative account, posted in reply to pictures of Kolle and first runner-up Mogbelzada.

Rikki Kolle

‘Post-Truth World’: Man Wins Miss Netherlands, Sparking Outrage On Twitter

Netherlands

The Netherlands

A man who was crowned “Miss San Francisco” will compete in the 2023 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miss California</a> Pageant in July.
Monroe Lace, a man who identifies as a woman, won the Miss San Francisco pageant in March, qualifying the “beauty queen” to compete for the Miss California title next month. Lace is the first trans-identifying man to be crowned Miss San Francisco in the competition’s 99-year history.
&#8220;Every time I put on the sash, the weight of it reminds me of the weight of my job; of the responsibility I have to make a difference for young children,&#8221; Lace told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/transgender-miss-san-francisco-make-history-miss-california-pageant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS Bay Area</a>.
Lace, 25, visits a different elementary school almost every day. In a video shown by the local CBS affiliate, Lace can be seen reading “<a href="https://socialjusticebooks.org/sparkle-boy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sparkle Boy</a>,” a picture book about a boy who wants to wear women’s clothing, to a 4th-grade class at Tenderloin Community School.
The trans-identifying man told <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/california-crowns-first-transgender-miss-san-francisco/#:~:text=Monroe%20Lace%20crowned%20first%20transgender%20Miss%20San%20Francisco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KRON 4</a> in March that he was “dreaming about this since I was 12 years old” and ran away from home.
In 2021, Kataluna Enriquez, another man identifying as a woman, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/03/1012666827/2021-miss-nevada-will-be-the-first-openly-transgender-miss-usa-contestant#:~:text=Press-,Miss%20Nevada%20Will%20Be%20The%20First%20Transgender%20Miss%20USA%20Contestant,the%20national%20pageant%20in%20November." target="_blank" rel="noopener">competed</a> in the Miss USA pageant as Miss Nevada. Lace seeks to be the second trans-identifying man to compete at the national competition. Another man <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/03/1012666827/2021-miss-nevada-will-be-the-first-openly-transgender-miss-usa-contestant#:~:text=Press-,Miss%20Nevada%20Will%20Be%20The%20First%20Transgender%20Miss%20USA%20Contestant,the%20national%20pageant%20in%20November." target="_blank" rel="noopener">competed</a> in the Miss New Hampshire competition after being <a href="https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/trans-contestant-becomes-first-miss-america-winner-at-new-hampshire-beauty-pageant-brian-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowned</a> “Miss Greater Derry” last November.
The Miss San Francisco winner <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/transgender-miss-san-francisco-make-history-miss-california-pageant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims</a> to have received death threats and “mean comments about my appearance or the way I look.” Despite this, Lace is undeterred from his child-focused mission, saying that he “know[s] that there’s a trans kid out there … who is reading [Lace’s] story as well.” CBS interviewed one 4th grader, who described Lace’s appearance as “beautiful” and “normal.”
The push for men to compete in women’s competitions has become an intense cultural and political question, prompting GOP presidential hopeful <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nikki-haley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikki Haley</a> to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4034876-haley-calls-transgender-athletes-in-sports-the-womens-issue-of-our-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">label</a> the issue “the women’s issue of our time.”
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Female athletes like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-was-ready-to-go-to-dental-school-riley-gaines-became-an-activist-by-accident-but-shes-not-backing-down" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Riley Gaines</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fighting-for-women-lia-thomas-teammate-tells-her-story-to-matt-walsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paula Scanlon</a> have spoken out against men in women’s sports, particularly concerning male swimmer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lia-thomas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lia Thomas</a>. Recently, ESPN commentator Samantha Ponder <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/espns-samantha-ponder-bucks-network-joins-those-slamming-men-in-womens-sports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">broke</a> with her company’s orthodoxy to speak out against men competing in women’s sports.
Last year, a federal court <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/11/04/miss-united-states-of-america-wins-anita-green-suit-can-bar-transgender-contestants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that Miss USA, whose winner competes for the Miss Universe title and is a separate organization from Miss America, could keep its “natural born female” policy under the First Amendment’s Free Speech clause.

Monroe Lace

Trans-Identifying Man To Compete In Miss California Pageant

California

San Francisco

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/transgender">transgender</a>-identifying male <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/beauty-pageant">beauty pageant</a> contestant is celebrating a recent history-making win.
Brian Nguyen is the first biological man to win a Miss America competition after taking home the title of Miss Greater Derry 2023 in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-hampshire">New Hampshire</a>. Per the website, The Miss Greater Derry Scholarship Program provides scholarships to &#8220;young women&#8221; between the ages of 17 and 24.
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Stunning and beautiful. <a href="https://t.co/iEY44csjO6">pic.twitter.com/iEY44csjO6</a>
&mdash; Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1590777059454091264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Nguyen celebrated the win with a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckrj4V7rv5g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on Instagram. &#8220;My name is Brian Nguyen, I am 19 years old, and I am currently a freshman at Nashua Community College majoring in Business Management,&#8221; the Instagram post says.
“I hope to use my degree so that I can create sustainable, ethical, and inclusive products such as clothing, cosmetics, and accessories. I also hope to continue to grow my career in the modeling and social media industry.”
The teen also publicized an initiative called, “#QueensAreEverywhere,&#8221; which is “a media movement that helps the next generation develop self-confidence, realize their potential, and become the leaders of their destiny.”
Nguyen further described the movement, saying it focuses on community members who “have faced adversity and teach how they overcame it.”
The contestant concluded, “I am ecstatic to be the FIRST transgender woman to be a Miss America local titleholder, and I hope to make everyone proud and become the first to walk the Miss America stage. I am Brían Nguyen, your Miss Greater Derry 2023, and I am so excited for my year of service, to compete for Miss New Hampshire in April, and to make you all proud.”
Nguyen took home the title just after a federal appellate court <a href="https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2022/11/02/21-35228.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that Miss United States of America LLC cannot be forced to include transgender-identifying men as contestants since it would obstruct the organization&#8217;s ability to express the &#8220;ideal vision of American womanhood.&#8221;
According to the ruling, the organization is allowed to enforce their &#8220;natural born female rule&#8221; because that rule is protected by the First Amendment.
The decision was made in response to a lawsuit filed by Anita Green, a trans-identifying male.
“I believe United States of America Miss is on the wrong side of history for choosing to actively discriminate against transgender people, but the road to creating meaningful change has always been a long and bumpy one,” Green said. “Transgender women are women. My message has always been consistent and my message is this: every person has beauty.”
Despite not being forced to include trans-identifying men, the Miss America organization can voluntarily include them, which is what happened with Miss Greater Derry 2023.
This is not the first time transgender-identifying individuals have entered the beauty pageant world. In October, a transgender person from Thailand <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/miss-universe-pageant-bought-by-transgender-tv-star-from-thailand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">purchased</a> the Miss Universe organization, while in 2021, a trans-identifying contestant named Kataluna Enriquez <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transgender-beauty-queen-takes-crown-calls-win-a-celebration-of-womanhood-and-diversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snagged the title</a> of Miss Silver State USA.

Miss Beauty Pageant Queen Contest in Asian Gown

Transgender-Identifying Teen Becomes First Male To Win A Miss America Sponsored Beauty Pageant

New Hampshire

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