In a groundbreaking moment for both the Miss Universe Singapore (MUS) pageant and the broader LGBTQ+ community, Qatrisha Zairyah, 33, has made history as the first-ever married transgender finalist to advance to the pageant’s finals. The event took place on August 24, 2024, with 15 women, aged 19 to 34, competing for the crown, showcasing a rich diversity of backgrounds and careers.
Elaine Daly, national director of Miss Universe Singapore, expressed her pride in the diverse group of finalists this year. “I am very proud of the wider range of interesting and successful contestants we have at Miss Universe Singapore 2024 due to this year’s more inclusive direction,” she said. “We have definitely seen more entrants with different backgrounds and achievements, and this has encouraged more women to participate for the first time.”
Zairyah, a 5′-11″ tall fashion adviser, is no stranger to the pageant world. She was the first runner-up at Miss International Queen 2023, held in Pattaya, Thailand, and has participated in other pageants for transgender women, including Miss Trans Star International in Barcelona and Miss Equity World in Bali last year. Her journey to the Miss Universe Singapore stage, however, is particularly significant as it marks a pivotal moment in the pageant’s 70-year history.
Breaking Barriers and Advocating for Change
Zairyah’s journey as a transgender woman has been marked by resilience and a commitment to advocacy. In a press release by MUS, she emphasized her desire to be a role model for women of all backgrounds, particularly those from the transgender community. “I am committed to fighting for the existence of my people and empowering women worldwide,” she said. Zairyah’s participation in the MUS finals is not just about winning a crown; it’s about visibility and representation for the transgender community on a national and potentially global stage.
Speaking to The Straits Times, Zairyah recounted her gender reassignment surgery in 2017, a significant step in her journey of self-affirmation. Despite anticipating criticism, she remains undeterred. “I know not everyone can accept people like us, but I’m prepared for that,” she said. Zairyah’s courage is further underscored by her personal life, where she has found unwavering support from her husband, whom she has known since she was 20 years old and still serving in Singapore’s National Service. The couple, who have been married for seven years, tied the knot in Singapore.
A New Era for Miss Universe Singapore
Miss Universe Singapore’s decision to embrace a more inclusive approach in 2024 is reflective of broader changes within the global Miss Universe Organization (MUO). Since 2012, MUO has allowed transgender women to compete, provided they are legally recognized as female in their respective countries. However, it wasn’t until the 2024 MUS pageant that a transgender woman has advanced to the finals in Singapore, marking a significant shift in the local pageant scene.
The MUS pageant has opened its doors to a wider array of contestants this year, allowing married women, divorced women, and women with children to participate, with no upper age limit imposed. This shift aligns with the international changes introduced by MUO, which, under the leadership of Thai media tycoon and transgender rights advocate Anne Jakrajutatip, has increasingly promoted inclusivity and diversity.
Daly highlighted the impact of these changes on the MUS pageant. “The Miss Universe pageant is very inclusive now, and Singapore has embraced the change,” she said. The result has been a notable increase in the number of applicants, with 65 women entering the 2024 competition, a higher number than in previous years. Among them was even a 65-year-old participant who, while ultimately not making it to the finals, exemplified the broader appeal of the new, more inclusive pageant rules.
The diversity among the top 15 finalists this year is a testament to the success of these reforms. Alongside Zairyah, the finalists include Adelene Stanley, a 29-year-old divorced mother of one, and Seraphina Yong, a 34-year-old contestant who is the oldest in the group. These women, like Zairyah, represent the expanding definition of beauty, one that goes beyond traditional norms to include different life experiences and backgrounds.
Representation Matters
Zairyah’s success in reaching the MUS finals is a significant moment for the transgender community in Singapore and beyond. Her visibility in a mainstream beauty pageant challenges the stereotypes and prejudices that transgender people often face, particularly in more conservative societies. By competing in MUS, Zairyah is not only advocating for her rights but also for the broader acceptance and inclusion of transgender individuals in all facets of society.
Her journey has not been without challenges, particularly within her own family. Zairyah, who is Muslim, shared that it took time for her family to accept her. “It took some time for them to actually accept me ’cos we are Muslim,” she said in an interview last year. However, over time, her parents, particularly her mother, have come to understand and support her. “My mum now understands me. And my dad, when he visited me at my workplace and [understood that I’m] not doing anything illegal, slowly, they were able to accept me.”
In Singapore, post-operative transgender women are legally allowed to change their gender to female on official documents, a crucial step that allowed Zairyah to marry her husband and apply for a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat. This legal recognition, while significant, is just one aspect of the broader societal acceptance that Zairyah is advocating for through her participation in MUS.
Looking Forward: A Potential First for Asia
As Zairyah prepares for the MUS coronation night, there is much at stake. If she wins, she would not only be the first transgender woman to represent Singapore at the Miss Universe pageant but also potentially the first from Asia to compete on the global Miss Universe stage. This would be a historic achievement, not just for Zairyah but for the transgender community across the continent.
The Miss Universe 2023 pageant saw two transgender women—Miss Portugal Marina Machete and Miss Netherlands Rikkie Kollé—compete for the first time, paving the way for greater transgender representation in international beauty pageants. Zairyah’s participation in MUS and her potential to compete internationally continues this trend, signaling a growing acceptance and celebration of transgender individuals in the beauty industry.
Reflecting on her journey, Zairyah credits her participation in previous pageants for building her confidence and poise. “It’s about time I can represent my community on the MUS stage,” she said. Zairyah also cites Miss Spain Angela Ponce, who in 2018 became the first transgender Miss Universe contestant, as a significant inspiration. “I cried when I saw Angela on stage representing trans women,” Zairyah recalled. “She was an inspiration and paved the way for more trans women to have the courage to participate in the competition.”
For Zairyah, winning the MUS title would be a dream come true, but even more importantly, it would be a victory for all those who have supported and championed her along the way. “I have what it takes to be a winner,” she said. “How awesome will it be if I can be the first trans woman to represent Singapore on the global stage? Who knows, I may even be the first to represent Asia.”
As the world awaits the final coronation on November 16, 2024, at the Arena CDMX in Mexico, all eyes will be on Zairyah and the other contestants vying for the Miss Universe Singapore title. Regardless of the outcome, Zairyah’s journey has already made an indelible mark on the pageant world, one that will resonate with future generations of transgender individuals aspiring to follow in her footsteps.
