This work has not been peer reviewed by the University of the Philippines Rainbow Research Hub or its project members. The views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Hub or its project members.
2026 Philippine Queer Studies Conference
POSTER PRESENTATION
Transgender expressions, advocacies, and motivations in beauty pageantry
Ryand Angelo G. Ugalde and Joyce I. C. Castillo
Traditionally, beauty pageants were originally joined by women with conventional physique and face value. However, over time, pageant organizations have slowly eased limits or restrictions. In the Philippines, for example, transgender women have been a part of the pageant scene, notably through contests such as “Miss Gay,” which have become a trend during barangay festivals. The transgender spectrum is part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Plus (LGBTQIA+) community, a minority group that faces discrimination due to societal norms.
In the realm of transgender pageants, preparations closely mirror those of their traditional, all-female counterparts. The process involves candidate screening, deliberations, auditions, and rehearsals, all integral to the production and execution of these events. Familiar segments such as costume presentations, gown showcases, swimsuit displays, and question-and-answer sessions constitute the essential components that participants, regardless of gender identity, undergo before being crowned (Binay et al., 2023). Likewise, these beauty pageants have become an avenue for providing opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community to enhance their visibility in society. Initially centered on the assessment of physical beauty, they have transformed into events where contestants are afforded a platform to articulate and promote their advocacy, reflecting a broader and more substantive dimension to the competition (Santos, 2022).
Studies have been conducted that tackled beauty pageants in general, but only a few have embarked on transgender pageantry in the local context. In addition, there have been studies that focus on beauty pageant candidates and their advocacy but only few have dealt with the reasons behind advocating these causes.
This study primarily aimed to examine the expressions, advocacies, and motivations of transgender women within the context of beauty pageantry. Specifically, it gained in-depth insights from the candidates on how they expressed themselves, how they advocated for LGBTQIA+ issues, and what motivated them for doing so. Five (5) transgender candidates from Ilocos Norte served as the participants of this study. They all competed in at least one beauty pageant held within the province. Those who were not residents of Ilocos Norte were excluded from this study.
Employing a qualitative approach of gathering the necessary data, the researcher used observation methods and face-to-face interviews. The participants were observed by the researcher during the pageant to find out how they expressed themselves while competing in the pageant. Each participant also underwent an interview session, responding to a series of open-ended questions. These questions were designed to gather in-depth information about how transgender women communicated LGBTQIA+ issues and what motivated them to express these issues within the pageant context. The participants’ responses were transcribed and interpreted using thematic analysis. This study was limited only to the observation and data analysis of the researcher.
Based on the findings, two themes were drawn from the participants’ responses in their expression in pageantry, namely wardrobe identity— emphasizing their femininity, which was carefully crafted to reflect their individuality; and spoken expression— a verbal approach to express themselves and to convey their perspectives, experiences, and advocacy. This indicates that pageant candidates align their expressions with personal experiences and struggles. It further implies that trans women pageantry allows candidates to introduce the LGBTQIA+ community in a broader audience that will eventually increase their visibility in the society.
Moreover, two distinct themes emerged from the participants’ ways of advocating key social issues most particularly on LGBTQIA+ issues. One was during the pageant introduction, where they had the chance to establish themselves and the causes they believed in. Emphasizing the things that they were fighting for, the participants used the introduction segment as a tool to convey deep-seated issues in the society. The other segment was the question-and-answer portion, where they had the opportunity to further expand their advocacies. Most of the questions were related to the issues that the LGBTQIA+ community faced in their everyday life such as discrimination and lack of acceptance from the heteronormative society.
Lastly, their motivations in joining pageants included external motivations (monetary rewards and personal validation) and internal motivations (advocacies and boosting of self-confidence). Findings of this study imply that trans women pageantry can benefit the candidates not just through giving them the platform to speak about their advocacy but also give them material and emotional support that can help in their daily living. Furthermore, the pageantry becomes a platform for candidates to communicate awareness and issues in the different sectors of the society. The benefits of pageants transcend beyond rewards and recognition for it also helps with their self-image and well-being.
The findings of this study align with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): (1) SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, emphasizing the social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals, regardless of their identity or background, and eliminating discriminatory practices; (2) SDG 5: Gender Equality, particularly in addressing gender identity and expression within the LGBTQIA+ community; and (3) SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, promoting inclusive societies and equal access to justice and civic participation.
Further studies may be pursued– conduct study involving participants from a different geographical location, investigate the comparison between transgender women candidates and natural born women, or carry out a pure ethnographic study.