Transgender Miss Portugal and Miss Netherlands poised to compete for Miss Universe

Marina Machete won the Miss Portugal pageant on Thursday, making the 28-year-old flight attendant the first trans woman to take the title.

This win means that Machete will not be the only biological man identifying as a woman to vie for the Miss Universe crown on Nov. 18 in El Salvador.

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“Proud to be the first trans woman to compete for the title of Miss Universe Portugal,” Machete said on Instagram.

The new Miss Portugal added, “For years it was not possible for me to participate and today I am proud to be part of this incredible group of finalists.”

Dutch trans woman Rikkie Kolle won the Miss Netherlands title in July, besting nine women, and will be competing against Machete.

In 2018, Angela Ponce was the first openly transgender woman to be crowned Miss Spain and represented her country at Miss Universe as the first openly transgender contestant competing for the title.

When former President Donald Trump owned the Miss Universe pageant in 2012, he allowed transgender beauty queen Jenna Talackova to enter the Miss Universe Canada competition.

The Miss Italy pageant has continued to object to any candidates except women in its competition.

Last year, Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, a 43-year-old Thai media tycoon and transgender rights advocate, bought the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million.

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The new owner shared the desire in 2022 to take the beauty competition “to the next level” after acquiring Miss Universe.

The beauty contest remains one of the world’s most-watched pageants since 1952.