Transgender from Mandaue to compete in Miss International Queen

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippines will have two stunning representatives to next month’s Miss International Queen, a contest in Thailand billed as the world’s largest transgender pageant.

First of the two delegates is Stacy Biano from Mandaue City, a Queen of the South 2015 title-holder who is employed as a Customer Service Specialist for a BPO company. The second beauty who will wear the Philippine sash is model and part-time actress Sabel Gonzales from Anda, Pangasinan.

Will anyone of the two achieve a back-to-back victory for the country after Filipina Trixie Maristela nabbed the crown last year? A law student who won the “Eat Bulaga!” gay beauty pageant “Super Sireyna” in 2014, Maristela is the second Filipina transgender to win the title, after Kevin Balot in 2012.

With 28 contenders in this year’s edition, the Miss International Queen 2016 finals will be held at Tiffany’s Theatre in Pattaya, Thailand on November 11.

Miss International Queen is a beauty pageant for transgender women from different parts the world. It is held annually in Pattaya City, Thailand since 2004. Thailand remains a largely conservative society, with no laws recognizing same-sex unions. But it has a prominent lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, with many members playing leading roles in its entertainment industry.

Some of the pageant’s objectives are: creating transgender rights awareness among international communities, achieving equality in both society and workforce, and building friendship, sportsmanship and exchanging of ideas between international LGBT communities. All proceeds of the televised coronation night goes to the Royal Charity AIDS Foundation of Thailand. (FREEMAN)