In a breakthrough in the pageantry, Señorita Panama organization, on Monday, announced that transgender women from this year be able to compete in the national competition which selects the representative to Miss Universe as well.

The organisation said transgender women who have completed legal and medical processes would be welcome to compete. The official statement read, “Following the foundations of the agreements with Miss Universe, we announce that as of 2021, legally recognized women will be officially allowed, and the door is opened to transgender women.”

Panama joins a small but growing number of countries that accept trans contestants in their national beauty pageants which include Spain, Canada and Nepal.

Miss Universe organization as well lifted the ban on transgender contestants in 2012 but it was not until 2018 that the first transgender woman Angela Ponce from Spain competed at the competition and won everyone’s hearts.

In 2018, the first indigenous winner of Señorita Panama,Rosa Montezuma, competed in Miss Universe but did not place in the Top.