The global stage of beauty pageants has undergone a profound structural and cultural transformation over the past few decades. Historically defined by rigid, traditional definitions of femininity and biological markers, the glamour industry has evolved into a powerful platform for intersectional advocacy, human rights, and queer visibility.
Winners often face intense digital harassment and organized boycotts from groups who view their inclusion as an "incursion" on cisgender spaces. transsexual beauty queens 46
Women in their 40s have navigated complex life paths, often overcoming significant adversity. This brings a depth to their performance, interviews, and advocacy. The global stage of beauty pageants has undergone
(USA) is the current titleholder as of September 2025. Solange Dekker (Netherlands) won the 2023 title. Women in their 40s have navigated complex life
The year (the 76th year since the first major international pageant circuits began) marked a significant milestone for transsexual beauty queens, specifically highlighted by the 73rd Miss Universe pageant . This era represents a "coming of age" for transgender visibility in traditional pageantry, moving from tokenism to genuine competition. The Historic Shift: Miss Universe 73 (2024)
: In 2018, Ponce made history as the first transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, representing Spain Marina Machete & Rikkie Kollé : In 2023, both Marina Machete (Miss Portugal) Rikkie Kollé (Miss Netherlands)