What the....?!! That was my reaction when I heard about the controversial news about a transgender candidate in Ms. Universe Canada who was initially disqualified to compete but was later on allowed to join. This is wrong, like totally wrong, well at least in my opinion.
This is not an issue of discrimination for me. I have homosexual and even transgender friends and I'm comfortable in their company and I never raised an eyebrow towards their preferences. I don't want to condemn anyone merely on his or her sexual preferences alone. That would be wrong as well.
Though, with this Ms. Universe issue I can't help but disagree with the new supposedly "modernized" policy. I'm not a big fan of this pageant or any other pageants in general and I absolutely don't have any intention of joining one either in this lifetime or in any other lifetime. It's just that I can't help but be concerned with this issue as this is not just an issue of a transgender crossing the line but more of an issue against the integrity of this organization.
For some women, this pageant is not just a mere beauty contest, for some its a way to further empower themselves and to boost their careers. There are others who uses this competition as an avenue to promote awareness about the country they are representing or to enlighten other nations on certain issues that the country is facing. There are women competing for that crown not just for some vain glory and not just for the glitz and glamor. This is a woman's world, an arena for her to show the world that she's confident not just for being beautiful but also for being intelligent. These women are supposed to served as a role model for other women. For a transgender to be allowed to join this competition is a real dismay. Whatever happened to the celebration of a woman's natural beauty? And what about the "the natural born woman" as part of the requirement? Or what about that age old question about "the essence of a woman?" Besides, transgenders do have their own pageants after all, right?! So, I guess these are all irrelevant now.
A transgender friend of mine commenting on the issue said this, "we should be proud to be transgenders and joining a women's pageant will not make you a woman, its what you feel inside that matters." I couldn't agree more with him. I personally think that the Ms. Universe Organization should have stood by its first decision. I feel that by doing this they are encouraging more individuals coming from the third sex to undergo a knife and those painful therapies just to be recognized as a women. Then there's the issue of plastic surgery, we all know that transgender will go to great lengths just to look perfect, does this mean that to be at par with them women joining the competition should also undergo surgery to further enhance their looks? Is this a way to celebrate one's natural beauty?
In this day and age, a lot of individuals resort to plastic surgery not just to improve their appearance but also to boost their morale. I don't see anything wrong in wanting to become more beautiful and I don't see anything wrong in being vain, but our self worth should not be heavily gauge by the physical aspects alone, and our vanities ought not to outweigh our convictions.
Today's generation may be more liberal minded, but there are values that we should still uphold while keeping up with the changes. If there are organizations for men, there should be for women and for transgenders and as with any organizations there ought to be rules and guidelines that everyone has to abide with. Transgenders are unique individuals and their uniqueness should be acknowledge without crossing any lines. If transgenders all over the world wants equality then they should play fair as well in any level. They have to be true to themselves and be proud of who they are, instead of adopting someone else's identity.
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