America's First Trans Pageant Winner Is Competing In 'Miss USA'
Kataluna Enriquez became the first-ever transgender woman to win a pageant on Sunday when she was crowned Miss Nevada USA.
Enriquez was chosen by the judges over 21 other competitors while wearing a Pride-themed dress which she designed and made herself.
Enriquez will now progress to an even bigger stage, representing her state in the national Miss USA pageant in November—the first time a trans woman will ever have done so.
Kataluna Enriquez became the first ever transgender woman to win a pageant on Sunday, when she was crowned Miss Nevada USA. Enriquez was chosen by the judges over 21 other competitors, while wearing a Pride-themed dress which she designed and made herself. That her historic win occurred during Pride month made it all the sweeter, she wrote on Instagram.
"Huge thank you to everyone who supported me from day one," she said. "My community, you are always in my heart. My win is our win. We just made history. Happy pride."
As the reigning Miss Nevada, Enriquez will now progress to an even bigger stage, representing her state in the national Miss USA pageant in November—the first time a trans woman will ever have done so.
At a time when the rights and freedoms of trans people are still being threatened at a policy level, with access to healthcare for trans youth in danger of being rescinded in many states, the victory of a trans beauty queen may seem inconsequential. But all forms of representation are vital, and seeing a trans woman be celebrated and elevated in her field may well give hope to others.
And, as a trans rights activist, Enriquez intends to use her newfound visibility as a Miss USA contestant to advocate for those who are so often underrepresented.
"Kataluna Enriquez is a healthcare admin, a fashion designer and owner for Katalunakouture," reads her bio on the Miss Silver State pageant Instagram account. "At a young age, Kataluna fought multiple challenges in her life. Now she uses her life experiences and shares it in her platform #BEVISIBLE , a campaign to combat hate through vulnerability. As a survivor of physical and sexual abuse and a proud Transwoman of color, she aims to break barriers and represent those who aren’t always represented and continues to support numerous non-profit organizations and LGBTQ+ youth."
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