Filipino-American Kataluna Enriquez became the first transgender woman in the history of the Miss USA system after she won Miss Nevada USA 2021. With this win, she heads to Miss USA where she will vie for the chance to compete in the Miss Universe beauty pageant.
If she wins that title, she would be following in the footsteps of Angela Ponce, who represented Spain in Miss Universe 2018, as the first transgender contestant to do so.
Prior to winning the Miss Nevada USA 2021 title, Enriquez posted on her Facebook account the hate she received for chasing her dream. She – nonetheless – stressed the need to push through for representation.
“Because of hate, people would rather die than be who they are. I was one of them,” Enriquez stated. “But I am no longer a victim; I am a warrior.”
Enriquez is not new to the pageant circuit; she represented USA in Super SiReyna 2018.
