CaracasGeneral NewsLGBTQ peopleWorld News Groundbreaking Transgender Woman Seeks to Contest in Miss Venezuela Beauty Pageant by Michael Nguyen July 2, 2023 written by Michael Nguyen July 2, 2023 7 comments Bookmark 43 Venezuelan beauty pageants, with Miss Venezuela at the forefront, serve as rare moments of unity for a country fraught with division. In these pageants, social class, race, and politics are momentarily shelved as the country collectively decides who will represent them internationally. Yet, beneath the applause and accolades, Venezuela’s society remains deeply conservative, demonstrating minimal flexibility towards heteronormative deviations. Sofia Salomón, a well-known influencer and Instagram model, is determined to challenge this status quo. Salomón has submitted her application to compete in the upcoming Miss Venezuela pageant. Should she be accepted, it would mark a historic moment as she would be the first transgender woman to participate. “Participating in this contest presents an opportunity to shed light on my community, amplify positivity and expose the realities of transgender women,” expressed Salomón. However, amidst a prolonged crisis that has plunged millions of Venezuelans into poverty and forced 7.3 million to migrate, LGBTQ+ rights are far from becoming mainstream topics for family dinners or dominant campaign issues in the bid to unseat President Nicolás Maduro in 2024. Upcoming Pride marches in Caracas are expected to attract a few hundred participants, but nationwide acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is far from reality. Venezuelans, who often idolize European lifestyle, are generally resistant to its expansive inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community and rejection of homophobia and transphobia. The country’s highest court recently scrapped a law criminalizing consensual same-sex conduct within the military. However, it has been delaying for seven years a ruling on a case that seeks to legalize same-sex marriage. It also hasn’t made a decision on Tamara Adrian’s case from 2004, where the transgender woman seeks a legal name and sex change on her birth certificate and public records. Despite government claims that the current law permits such changes, Adrian and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights vehemently disagree. Yet, despite the challenges, Adrian became Venezuela’s first transgender lawmaker in 2015 and this year, entered the opposition’s presidential primary race aiming to defeat Maduro. Adrian states that to effect societal change, there needs to be public policy implementation which is notably lacking in Venezuela compared to other Latin American countries. She also points out that there is frequently a lack of sensitivity towards racist, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic language. Salomón, who was one of the top six contestants in Miss International Queen, a major beauty pageant for transgender women, is hopeful about her chances in the Miss Venezuela pageant. Inspired by the inclusion of a transgender woman in Puerto Rico’s Miss Universe contest, she believes that her application is supported by her family, her boyfriend, and her extensive Instagram followers. Despite Miss Venezuela organization’s silence regarding her application, Salomón remains hopeful. Miss Universe, the international competition that Miss Venezuela winners compete in, has been open to transgender contestants since 2012. Marcia Ochoa, associate professor of feminist, critical race, and ethnic studies at UC Santa Cruz, has praised Salomón’s bold move. She believes Venezuelan culture has the capacity to accommodate divergent gender identities. In recent years, Angela Ponce from Spain became the first transgender woman to participate in Miss Universe, and a Thai businesswoman and transgender woman purchased the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million. Participating in and winning Miss Venezuela can provide a significant platform. For example, Irene Sáez, Miss Universe 1981, subsequently served as the mayor of a Caracas municipality and ran for president in 1998. However, public opinion varies. Caracas resident Josefina Mejia, who has followed Miss Venezuela for years, prefers a separate contest for transgender women. The Venezuelan Observatory of LGBTIQ+ Violence reported at least 97 cases of violence against the community nationwide in 2022, including 11 homicides. These numbers are suspected to be underreported as many cases go unrecorded. Salomón, who harbors aspirations in real estate, has received an acknowledgment of her Miss Venezuela application, but awaits official acceptance. She believes her past experience in modeling and pageantry gives her a competitive edge. “I believe that experience can’t be fabricated,” Salomón said. “That’s why people have faith that I will create history in the country.” Table of Contents Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Transgender ParticipationWho is Sofia Salomón?Is she the first transgender woman to apply for Miss Venezuela?What does Sofia Salomón hope to achieve by participating in Miss Venezuela?Are there any other prominent transgender figures in Venezuela?How does Venezuelan society generally perceive the LGBTQ+ community?More about Transgender Participation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Transgender Participation Who is Sofia Salomón? Sofia Salomón is a well-known influencer and Instagram model from Venezuela. She is a transgender woman and has recently applied to participate in the Miss Venezuela pageant. Is she the first transgender woman to apply for Miss Venezuela? Yes, if Sofia Salomón is accepted into the Miss Venezuela pageant, she will be the first transgender woman to participate in the event. What does Sofia Salomón hope to achieve by participating in Miss Venezuela? Sofia Salomón aims to bring visibility to the transgender community, highlight their positive attributes, and expose the reality of transgender women by participating in the Miss Venezuela pageant. Are there any other prominent transgender figures in Venezuela? Yes, Tamara Adrian is a notable transgender figure in Venezuela. She became the country’s first transgender lawmaker in 2015 and has been actively involved in advocating for transgender rights. How does Venezuelan society generally perceive the LGBTQ+ community? Venezuela is a deeply conservative society with minimal acceptance of non-heteronormative standards. Despite some legal progress, such as the repeal of a law criminalizing same-sex conduct in the military, acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community is limited, and issues such as same-sex marriage and legal recognition of transgender individuals are still contentious. More about Transgender Participation Miss Venezuela Official Website Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Venezuelan Observatory of LGBTIQ+ Violence UC Santa Cruz Feminist, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies Tamara Adrian’s Legislative Profile You Might Be Interested In Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded to Duo for Pioneering mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19 The $1.4 Billion Powerball Jackpot: An Amalgamation of Rising Interest Rates, Mathematical Probabilities, Sales Trends, and Fortuity El Niño Winter Forecast: Implications for the United States Reddit CEO Firm on 3rd-Party App Charges Despite Widespread Protest Flights and ferries halted in South Korea ahead of storm that’s dumped rain on Japan for a week Israel battles militants in Gaza’s main cities, with civilians still trapped in the crossfire CaracasGeneral NewsLGBTQ peopleMiss Venezuelasocietal normstransgender rights Share 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail Michael Nguyen Follow Author Michael Nguyen is a sports journalist who covers the latest news and developments in the world of sports. He has a particular interest in football and basketball, and he enjoys analyzing game strategies and player performance. previous post Jermaine Dupri commemorates 50 years of hip-hop at Essence Festival of Culture next post Damian Lillard asks the Trail Blazers for a trade, team confirms You may also like Bookmark A woman who burned Wyoming’s only full-service abortion... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Argument over Christmas gifts turns deadly as 14-year-old... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Danny Masterson sent to state prison to serve... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Hong Kong man jailed for 6 years after... December 28, 2023 Bookmark AP concludes at least hundreds died in floods... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Live updates | Israeli forces raid a West... December 28, 2023 7 comments PacoGomez July 2, 2023 - 2:02 pm No offense but I kinda agree with Josefina Mejia…maybe separate contest would be better? Reply juan_carlos77 July 2, 2023 - 2:08 pm Not sure how i feel bout this…traditions are important too. Just saying Reply DanielaR July 2, 2023 - 3:34 pm don’t get the point of mixing things. keep it as it is, no need to make everythig so complicated. Reply MariaAlejandra July 2, 2023 - 6:33 pm this is huge news!! go Sofia, proud of you girl!! Reply Carla_Mendoza July 2, 2023 - 9:36 pm Finally, some change!!! We need more people like Sofia. Break the norms girl!!! Reply BeStrongSofia July 2, 2023 - 11:41 pm Sofia, you are a true inspiration! Don’t let the haters get to you. You’ve got this! Reply LGBTQ_Venezuela July 3, 2023 - 3:39 am More power to Sofia! We need to stand with her in solidarity. It’s about time Venezuela embraces everyone! Reply Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ