Should the LGBTQIA community expect an “apology” for being misunderstood soon?
Gloria Diaz – who was crowned Miss Universe in 1969, becoming the first Filipino to hold the title – conveyed her opposition to transgender women, single moms and married women joining Miss Universe, stressing: “Dapat may sarili silang contest (They should have their own contest).”
Diaz was interviewed entertainment site PUSH, where she excused her discriminatory view as merely her personal opinion on the matter.
On transgender women, already eligible to compete since 2013, Diaz said that it is a “very new idea” for her, but that it is “not very acceptable.” “Hindi ito acceptable sa akin. Kasi dapat may sarili silang contest. Not that I’m ostracizing them, but they’re good at some things eh (This is not acceptable to me. It is only right for them to have their own contest. Not that I’m ostracizing them, but they’re good at some things).”
In discussing this, Diaz referred to transgender women using a slur, “tranny”.
Diaz also compared this issue to the banning of transgender athletes to compete.
“Hindi ba ngayon ang isyu, yung transvestite (sic) kuno na athlete, sasali sa competition ng babae? ‘Di ba, that’s a big issue ngayon… You’ll always be stronger. So, siya nga ang nanalo sa swimming. Hindi ba that’s all over the internet na it’s unfair? Ang lakas niya, at ang wingspan, ang laki! And then it’s very uncomfortable being in the dressing room with them, ‘di ba, ‘yon [Isn’t this an issue now, that so-called ‘transvestite’ (sic) athlete joining women’s competition? That’s a big issue now, right? You’ll always be stronger. So the person won that swimming competition. Isn’t this all over the internet, that it’s unfair. The person is stronger, and the wingspan is wider! And then it’s very uncomfortable being in the dressing room with them, right]?”
Diaz was not pressed if she knew about related issues regarding transgender women’s participation in sports – e.g. the need to take hormones for months before being allowed to compete, that sports itself is built on personal advantages, et cetera.
Also, starting with the 72nd Miss Universe competition and national preliminary competitions leading to it, women who are or have been married, as well as women who are pregnant or have children, will already be allowed to compete.
Diaz said that with married women and women who may have had children already being allowed to join Miss Universe, it would not be in line with the name of the competition itself, “Edi dapat, ‘Universe’ na lang, huwag nang ‘Miss.’ Kasi, hindi na ‘Miss’ yon, ‘di ba (They should just use, ‘Universe’, not ‘Miss’. Because married women are no longer ‘Miss’, right)?”
As if expecting to get flak from her statements, Diaz stressed that this is her “personal opinion —which is not to be taken in the negative way — dapat may sarili silang contest. May Mrs. Universe, may Lesbian Universe, may Tranny Universe. There is room for so much. Oo, mga category na ganoon, ganyan (they should have their own contest. There should be Mrs. Universe, Lesbian Universe, Tranny Universe. There is room for so much. Yes, they should have this or that category).”
