Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach issued a statement on her Instagram welcoming Pride Month by writing “learning is always a two-way process…we listen as we understand each other’s points of view.”
Wurtzbach posted the statement recognizing the importance of a constant discourse to understand the concerns of the LGBTQ+ community. In the statement, Wurtzbach mentioned that “we may differ in opinions today, but our constant discourse will make our tomorrow better because we understand one another better.” She continued by saying “…our friends and family in the LGBTQIA+ community have the right to take up space in our society…that their voices should be heard, that we don’t invalidate trans women as women.”
This statement came two days after she spoke on a pageant themed online show about trans women joining beauty pageants like Miss Universe with four other beauty queens. The episode included Miss International Queen 2012 Kevin Balot’s statement saying that trans women are “asking too much” when they join traditional beauty pageants (i.e. pageants that only let cis women compete). While this received backlash from people online, Wurtzbach responded in the video by saying that “actually isa yang angle na hindi ko naisip kasi ako sa pagkakaalam ko Miss Universe allows so sakin if they allow sino ba naman tayo para magreklamo pa eh yung may-ari na pumapayag na.”
The beauty queen is known to be an LGBTQ+ ally and expressed her support for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Philippines at a celebratory dinner during last year’s Pride Month.
Photo courtesy of Inquirer.net
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