Sofia Saloman is a transgender model and macro-influencer from Venezuela with a fanbase of over 250k on her Instagram profile. After her successful run as a model and social media influencer, she has attempted to challenge beauty pageant norms by applying to participate in this year's Miss Venezuela beauty pageant. Venezuelans have an unparalleled enthusiasm and gusto for beauty pageants; the Miss Venezuela Pageant is reportedly the most popular of them all in the country. If Sofia's application is accepted, she will be the first transgender woman to participate in the Miss Venezuela contest.
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The application process to the Miss Venezuela beauty pageant includes certain minimum requirements, and being a Female is one of them. As reported by the Associate Press, the actress-model said in a recent interview, "I think it is a great platform to bring visibility to my community, echo the positive things, and show people the reality of transgender women." Sofia finished in the top six of Miss International Queen, the world's largest beauty pageant for transgender women. She added, "I would like that law changed so transgender women could be accepted with the name they feel more safe."
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Sofia in one of her interviews also mentioned Tamara Adrian who is a transgender woman who is an advocate for the same cause of legally changing her name and sex on her birth certificate and all public records. Tamara filed her case for the same in court in 2014. She became the country's first transgender lawmaker in 2015, representing a district in Caracas in June this year.
It is not the first time that members of the LGBTQ community have participated in beauty pageants. In 2018, Angela Ponce from Spain became the first transgender woman to participate in Miss Universe. Another transgender connection to the beauty pageants on a global level is the Thai business tycoon and a transgender woman who bought the Miss Universe Organisation for $20 Million (approx Rs 164 Crore).
Sofia Salomon's participation in the beauty pageant is a bold move and in keeping with a worldwide trend among the LGBTQ community to push for official recognition, awareness and acceptance of their fresh identities and gender.
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