Filipino-American Kataluna Enriquez will compete on Miss USA after being crowned as the first trans woman on Miss Nevada, Monday, June 28.
The 27- year-old outshined 21 other candidates as she graced the stage in South Point Hotel Casino & Spa in Las Vegas.
“Huge thank you to everyone who supported me from day one. My community, you are always in my heart. My win is our win. We just made history. Happy Pride, ” Enriquez shared in her Instagram post.
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The newly-crowned queen allured the stage in a rainbow-colored gown that she designed herself.
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“… In honor of pride month, and all of those who don’t get a chance to spread their colors,” she added in her caption.
Like any other pageant contestant, her pageant journey has not been easy when other organizers found out she was trans.
“I was asked to provide documents that were invasive, in my opinion, physically asking me to get a letter from my doctor,” she told KVVU-TV, a local news agency in Las Vegas.
But for her and her community, it was a great triumph for raising the LGBTQIA + to the pageant stage.
Miss Trans Global 2020, Mela Habijan also celebrated Enriquez’s victory.
“Our trans-Pinay sister, Kataluna Enriqueq, made history today! She won Miss Nevada 2021. She will be the first trans woman to compete at the Miss USA Pageant! Yaaaaassss! Mabuhay ka, Sis Kataluna Enriquez!” she tweeted.
OUR TRANS PINAY SISTER, KATALUNA ENRIQUEZ, MADE HISTORY TODAY! SHE WON MISS NEVADA 2021.
She will be the first trans woman to compete at the Miss USA Pageant! Yaaaaassss! Mabuhay ka, Sis Kataluna Enriquez! ???️⚧️?️???❤️ pic.twitter.com/HRt4b3w2tM
— Mela Habijan (@missmelahabijan) June 28, 2021
She will be the first transgender woman to join the Miss USA pageant that will be on November 29; if Enrique wins, she could become the second trans woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant after Miss Spain Angela Ponce.
