A transgender woman made history after being crowned Miss Nevada USA.
Kataluna Enriquez, 27, became the first transgender woman to win the pageant, which took place Sunday and featured 22 contestants, and will now go on to compete in Miss USA this November, according to Fox 44.
"Huge thank you to everyone who supported me from day one," Enriquez wrote in an Instagram post. "My community, you are always in my heart. My win is our win. We just made history. Happy pride."
Earlier this year, Enriquez won the title of Miss Silver State USA, which qualified her to compete in Miss Nevada. Enriquez reflected on the years that led up to that event in an opinion piece for Newsweek.
"My first experience of a cisgender pageant was exciting but unfortunately, it was also humiliating," she wrote. "I have always been open about who I am as a person and always disclose that I am trans. It's a choice that I made because I don't want anyone saying I am a liar. And more importantly, it's my way to embrace myself."
Enriquez recalled applying to one particular pageant three years in a row before finally receiving a response. Event organizers insisted she supply documents proving she was a woman, but after submitting court documents, was told they were not enough.
"Essentially I was being asked to go to a doctor and get a letter to show that I am a woman," she explained. "I decided not to let that stop me, and I was hoping the competition itself would be different. But when it came to assigning roommates, I was told by the organizers that I wasn't going to be sharing a room with anyone. I tried to see it as a positive: I had more space and I didn't have to worry about anyone else. But when I got to my room I cried. I felt like they didn't want me there."
During the competition, Enriquez said that some other contestants complained behind her back that she should not be part of the pageant. In the end, Enriquez did not place but was determined not to give up. Over the next few years, she would compete in several other pageants before finally finding herself on the stage at Miss Silver State USA in Nevada.
"I wasn't expecting to win but I was also too busy trying to calm my nerves to be fully aware of what was happening. So, when my name was called as the winner I was really surprised and didn't know how to react. It was overwhelming but I was really happy," she wrote.
"I wasn't aware at the time that I was the first transgender woman to win a beauty pageant in Nevada, but it's amazing. I'm now an automatic entry for Miss Nevada which is in June and my goal is to then go on to Miss USA. I think it's about time we see a trans person on the Miss USA stage and I'd like to make that history."
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Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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