A transgender woman makes history by winning a preliminary competition for Miss Nevada USA and will now be eligible to participate in the Miss Nevada USA pageant.
Kataluna Patricia Enríquez, who is Filipino-American, was crowned Miss Silver State USA, making her the competition’s first transgender winner.
In past pageants, Enriquez claimed she faced resistance due to her identity as a transgender woman. In Miss Silver State USA, she entered disclosing she was trans from the outset, and faced no issues. The Miss Nevada USA pageant, directed by former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, had nine contestants including runners-up Miss Las Vegas Lan Do and Miss Red Rock Stefanie Joseph. The pageant had five judges including Miss Nevada USA 2019 Tianna Tuamoheloa.
The model and fashion designer will compete in the Miss Nevada USA, and victory there would give her the opportunity to compete in Miss USA and possibly Miss Universe. In 2018, Miss Universe had a trans contestant of its own – Angela Ponce, from Spain. Without a doubt, it’s great news for the trans community in the United States and the world.
Enriquez, 26, described winning Miss Silver State as a recognition of diversity and a reason for celebration for the transgender community.
“Miss Silver State was a great experience for me. It was honestly a celebration of womanhood and diversity and this celebration of truly being yourself,” she said.
Kataluna, said she has suffered discrimination in beauty pageants in the past. “Growing up, I was often told that I was not allowed to be myself or to be in spaces that I was not welcome. One of the obstacles that I encounter every day is being honest with myself. Today I am a proud transgender woman of color.”
“Personally, I have learned that my differences do not make me less than, they make me more than. And my differences are what make me unique, and I know that my uniqueness will take me to all my destinations, and whatever I need to go through in life.”
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