Mister/Miss Congeniality: LGBT takes mainstream beauty pageants

What does it mean to be a woman?

 “Being a woman should not be defined by the organ between your legs. It’s in between your ears, in your mind, and in your heart. Womanhood is in your mind and in your heart,” said University of the Philippines (UP) Councilor and UP Babaylan president Pat Bringas, as she discussed issues of gender and sexuality with Karen Davila on ANC last week.

Pat is one of the three from the LGBT community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) who currently hold high positions in the UP Student Council. Heart Dino, who was elected chairperson of the student body, is the first transgender in history to take this title.

There is no doubt that Heart’s position as chairperson has opened new doors for the LGBT community in the Philippines. Heart’s vice chairperson, Alex Castro, is a female bi-sexual. Both come from opposing political parties. The victories mean not only representation for the LGBT community in politics, but also a big step in their social acceptance. They were elected, meaning people have finally looked beyond gender bias and entrusted the University to their hands, as responsible, capable leaders.

Media has often limited the image of the bakla in the Philippines to “parlor gays.” Mainstream movies and TV shows portrayed them often as the gay hairdresser, the obnoxious gay best friend, or the gay comedian with witty comebacks. Although this positive representation paved the early beginnings for LGBT social acceptance, it limited their successes to the world of fashion, beauty and entertainment. Where were the homosexual doctors, lawyers, businessmen or politicians?

Today especially, biology alone cannot justify what it is to be a woman or a man. It’s understandable that a normative society like ours struggles with orthodox definitions of womanhood and masculinity. Filipinos have a way of putting everything into two columns. But the lines have already been blurred when women and men, despite of what they hide in their underpants, showing that they’re equally capable of various functions in society.

In the first place, I’d like to believe that homosexuality is not a “disease” or a “choice.” Homosexuality is innate. They do not come to know it, like a girl discovers her period. Homosexual behavior is evident in a lot of non-human species. To name a few, chickens, crabs, dolphins, elephants, monkeys, and lions… what makes the human exempt from a seemingly natural occurrence? Reason? Dolphins are known to have intelligence even beyond that of humans, and they don’t seem to have an issue with homosexual behavior.

Grace under pressure

The Miss Universe pageant grabbed headlines recently when they forged a new rule of accepting transgender women to join the competition, following the issue of this year’s transsexual candidate Miss Canada. The move has definitely opened up discourse regarding gender and sexuality.

Heart Dino shares, “it is liberating that there are progressive rules [as in Miss Universe] that do not limit womanhood to female genitalia. Womanhood is more than physical attributes. For us transwomen, this is a sign of acceptance.”

Miss Universe 1999 first runner-up Miriam Quiambao expresses through Twitter her feelings towards Donald Trump’s decision.

Though the beauty pageant itself may seem like a trivial pursuit, it is an important one. Beauty pageants have their own gender stereotyping and objectification issues to hurdle. But Heart thinks it is a platform that needs to be utilized. “I also have issue with pageants, like how it limits the concept of beauty. But you may [also] see it as a tool for empowerment. Miss Universe is not the only avenue forward for our advocacy, but given our scenario, we must maximize it for us to have leverage in terms of mainstreaming our cause.”

It was after all, the stereotyped baklas in mass media that gave way to a positive representation for homosexuals. Everyone loved Jack from Will and Grace, and admired Carson and the crew in Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. It was these positive media stereotypes that acknowledged homosexuals in society and perhaps encouraged them to come out and take on more important positions.

If Miss Universe will be a venue for bigger things, this is a cause worth fighting for. “Our society now are more open with LGBT, but being open is not enough. Hopefully our society would be more accepting, and for me, one of the indicators of acceptance is affirmative action, like the passage of bills that will protect us from discrimination and recognize our gender identity. [This is essential] for us to have substantial equality.”

Heart Dino says that the fight is far from over; there is much more to be done. The end goal is that society will acknowledge LGBT, and enforce the same kinds of laws that protect the rights of women and children. Their voice is just as important. And if they must wear a bikini and heels, plaster a smile, and prepare a talent portion just to be heard—then by all means, they will do so.

And no, that is not a beauty pageant answer.