When Angela Ponce was crowned Miss Universe Spain 2018 on 29th June 2018, she made history by becoming the first ever transgender woman to compete for the title of Miss Universe. She bested 19 other candidates vouching for the crown, emerged as the winner this year and is now representing Spain in Miss Universe 2018 to be held on 17th December 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Angela completed her transition in the year 2014 and after that, she competed in Miss World Spain 2015 where she represented Cadiz. Unfortunately, she remained unplaced during the finale, but that did not stop her from competing in other beauty pageants. Her hard work and her dreams came into fruition when she became the national winner this year.
While her delegacy presents a remarkable initiation of the change in the pageant world, there are also many controversies and disagreements surrounding the 27-year-old Spanish beauty queen. Standing tall at a height of 177 cm, Angela is a model as works for Maroe Management, a modelling agency.
This free-spirited delegate has been facing a lot of negativity for being different, but her decision to not pay heed to them and develop into this wonderful person was the best gift she could have given to herself. Angela’s wish is not to impose her identity on other people but just wants other Trans women to know that they can be whoever they wish to be.
Even beauty queens have had some things to say against Angela’s delegation, for example, Miss Venezuela 2001 Vivian Sleiman said, “They may call me old fashioned but I think there should be a competition, which already exists, for transgender people and another for girls.” Adding to the fuel, Miss Universe Colombia 2018 Valeria Morales said, “I believe that a beauty pageant like Miss Universe is for women who are born women. And I believe that for her it will also be a disadvantage. And so we’ll have to respect it but not agree with it.”
Angela responded to this comment peacefully and wrote on her official Instagram handle, “‘I respect her (Morales) and I respect that that is her opinion, but I don’t want to go to Miss Universe with any prejudice against her or any other colleague.” Her response helped improve her fanbase and showed the world that she is truly a Miss Universe material and deserves to be on stage.
Angela is an admirable person, and her identity is going to bring about a massive change in the fashion and beauty industry. Angela wishes her all the very best!