2023,
English,
Javiera Arnillas-Catagena,
Rana Thamrin,
Full title: Are Trans Beauty Pageants Breaking Stereotypes or Reinforcing Them?
Producer: VICE News
Production Assistant: Rana Thamrin
Release Year: 2023
Synopsis:
In recent years, beauty pageants have become a major platform for transgender women to showcase their talents, grace, and individuality. One such prestigious event is Miss International Queen (MIQ), the world’s most renowned beauty contest for trans women. A documentary aired by VICE News in 2023, "Are Trans Beauty Pageants Breaking Stereotypes or Reinforcing Them?", explores this event and the complex issues surrounding transgender representation in mainstream beauty contests. Hosted in Thailand, the Miss International Queen pageant offers a glamorous opportunity for trans women from across the world to pursue recognition, but it also sparks debate over whether it challenges or perpetuates societal norms.
For nearly two decades, Miss International Queen has provided a stage where trans women can earn both fame and respect. The event is rooted in Thailand, a country known for its relatively open stance on transgender issues, yet it also carries the weight of traditional beauty standards. In the documentary, reporter Rana Thamrin explores this paradox by following contestants who are chasing the title of Miss International Queen. As she follows these women, Thamrin delves into the larger questions about what it means to be a trans woman in such an environment and whether these pageants really push for social change or merely replicate the same beauty ideals that have long been oppressive for both cisgender and transgender women.
At the heart of this conversation is the tension between the pageant’s supposed mission to empower trans women and the reality of its stringent beauty standards. Like many beauty contests, Miss International Queen places a premium on physical appearance. From the swimsuit walk to the glamorous evening gown section, the competition places significant emphasis on how the contestants look. While the pageant aims to celebrate trans women, it is often criticized for promoting an ideal of femininity that aligns closely with traditional, and sometimes narrow, standards of beauty. The documentary vividly captures moments where contestants, like the one from Peru, discuss how they feel pressure to conform to these standards, even at the cost of their own personal comfort.
For many trans women, achieving such beauty is not simply about vanity, but about identity. As one contestant, Javiera Arnillas-Catagena, explains, plastic surgery for trans women can be life-changing, helping to affirm their gender and alleviate dysphoria. However, this creates a dilemma. While the surgeries might be empowering for some, they are expensive and inaccessible to many, making the beauty pageant a space that is perhaps out of reach for those who cannot afford these procedures.
In the documentary, Dr. Tep Vakvisit, a plastic surgeon and sponsor of the pageant, discusses how the competition is tied to the thriving cosmetic surgery industry in Thailand. While the contest highlights the intersection between pageantry and medical procedures, it also raises a critical point: does the celebration of these surgeries reduce trans women to their physical appearance? Or do these women use this platform to highlight their advocacy for transgender rights and recognition?
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The debate about whether pageants like Miss International Queen reinforce or break stereotypes is deeply rooted in the contrasting views held by contestants themselves. On one hand, the pageant serves as an opportunity for trans women to express themselves, stand up for their rights, and garner global attention. For example, contestants like Javiera use the stage to talk about the fight for gender identity rights in their home countries, showing how the pageant can act as a platform for activism. For these women, the event is not just about external beauty—it is a chance to be recognized for their inner strength, their advocacy, and their resilience in the face of adversity.
On the other hand, as the documentary explores, the pressure to meet beauty ideals can feel exhausting and even harmful. Many trans women, including those in the documentary, express the emotional and financial burdens that come with meeting such standards. From dieting to undergoing expensive surgeries, these women may feel forced to conform to the narrow parameters of beauty set by the pageant's structure. This can be seen as reinforcing the very stereotypes that the event seeks to challenge.
Rana Thamrin, the host and a trans woman herself, expresses this internal conflict throughout the documentary. While she feels empowered by the sight of so many trans women being celebrated on stage, she is also troubled by how the pageant elevates a specific type of femininity—one that may not be accessible or desirable for all trans women. As she reflects on her own experiences, Thamrin voices her concern that these pageants may inadvertently normalize the idea that only those who fit conventional standards of beauty are worthy of attention and acceptance.
Miss International Queen is not just a regional event; it has global appeal, drawing contestants from countries around the world. In Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, beauty pageants are a huge cultural phenomenon, and for trans women, the opportunity to compete in such an event holds great significance. The competition represents both an escape and an entrance into the mainstream. For many, it is a way to validate their womanhood, a means of escaping the invisibility that often surrounds trans identities.
However, the documentary reveals how this visibility often comes at the expense of pushing back against entrenched beauty norms. Thamrin highlights how the pageant, while celebrated for allowing trans women a space to shine, might actually be reinforcing the very stereotypes it purports to challenge. In her discussions with contestants, she touches upon the notion of "passing"—the idea that the more a trans woman can resemble a cisgender woman, the more likely she is to be accepted. While this concept of passing might seem like a way to gain social acceptance, it also subtly enforces the notion that cisgender standards of femininity are the ultimate goal, reinforcing a form of gender conformity that excludes those who do not meet these standards.
Ultimately, "Are Trans Beauty Pageants Breaking Stereotypes or Reinforcing Them?" forces viewers to confront the limitations of traditional beauty pageants and the role that trans pageants play in the broader conversation about gender identity. Although pageants like Miss International Queen provide a platform for trans women to be celebrated and offer opportunities to challenge discrimination, they also risk contributing to the very stereotypes that limit their freedom.
The documentary ends with a poignant reflection by one of the contestants, who shares her desire to create more spaces where trans women can exist without feeling pressured to compete against each other in a beauty contest. This highlights a key takeaway: while pageants can offer a moment of empowerment, true progress for trans people will come when society can embrace a broader definition of beauty—one that does not rely on traditional norms or a singular standard of femininity.
In conclusion, beauty pageants for trans women, such as Miss International Queen, serve as a double-edged sword. On one side, they offer visibility, celebration, and a platform for advocacy. On the other, they continue to adhere to traditional beauty ideals that may be exclusionary or superficial. The question remains: will trans pageants continue to serve as a tool for empowerment, or will they merely reinforce the same stereotypes that limit all women—trans or cis? Only time will tell if these events can evolve into spaces that truly reflect the diversity and complexity of trans women’s lives, allowing them to break free from the constraints of the cisgender gaze.
Image credits: YouTube
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