Marina Machete became the first transgender woman to win Miss Portugal last week, making her one of two trans contestants so far to compete for Miss Universe later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Machete, a 28-year-old flight attendant, thanked her supporters for the \u201cpositive and empowering\u201d messages she has received since being crowned Thursday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo all of you watching, I just want to say that, just like the universe, your possibilities in life are limitless,\u201d she said in a video shared<\/a> on Instagram over the weekend. \u201cSo don\u2019t limit yourself to any dream that you have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She added that she is excited to meet the other delegates at the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador in November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In July, Rikkie Valerie Kolle, 22, became the first trans woman to be crowned Miss Netherlands<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes I\u2019m trans and I want to share my story but I\u2019m also Rikkie and that\u2019s what matters to me,\u201d she wrote in an Instagram post<\/a> at the time. \u201cI did this on my own strength and enjoyed every moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shortly after she was crowned, she revealed that she became the target of hate speech<\/a> online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI thought we were really accepting … in the Netherlands, but the hate comments show the other side of our society. I hope that\u2019s a wake-up call,\u201d she told Reuters at the time. \u201cFor now, I fully ignore it. I focus on the good things coming my way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It appears that Machete and Kolle will be the only transgender contestants among the 90 women who will compete for the crown on Nov. 18. There are two more qualifying pageants \u2014 in Mongolia and China \u2014 before the Miss Universe pageant next month, and no local reporting has identified any trans contestants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miss Universe began allowing trans women to compete in 2012 and, in 2018, Angela Ponce became the first trans woman<\/a> to do so after she was crowned Miss Spain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2021, Kataluna Enriquez became the first trans woman<\/a> to compete in the Miss USA pageant after she was crowned Miss Nevada, though she did not go on to compete in that year\u2019s Miss Universe pageant. In February, Daniela Arroyo Gonz\u00e1lez became the first trans woman<\/a> to compete in Miss Universe Puerto Rico, where she finished within the top 10 finalists, according to her Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, not all pageants have been open to including trans women. <\/strong>In July, more than 100 transgender men entered<\/a> the Miss Italy pageant after the pageant\u2019s organizer said Miss Italy wouldn\u2019t allow trans women to compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anne Jakkapong Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswoman and transgender advocate,\u00a0bought the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million<\/a>\u00a0last year, making her the first woman to own the pageant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n