Kontesera Chronicles: Is This the Place to Be?

Anne Patricia Lorenzo turns emotional after winning the Miss International Queen Philippines 2025 title. Miss International Queen Philippines/Facebook taken from https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/7/10/former-ms-q-a-winner-anne-patricia-lorenzo-to-represent-ph-in-miss-international-queen-pageant-1805

In the land of halo-halo hearts and high heels, where the barangay stage transforms into a runway under the glare of borrowed spotlights, a quiet revolution is happening—complete with sequins and sagalas. Yes, we’re talking about pageants, mga mars. But not just any pageant—trans pageants. Because when the world feels heavy, trust a kontesera to strut it out with poise, power, and a perfectly arched eyebrow.

Lately, LGBTQ+ pageants have become the heart of every fiesta, online stream, and Facebook debate. It’s no longer just about the crown—it’s about representation, resilience, and making rampa kahit ulan o baha. And with our beloved trans sisters leading the way, pageantry becomes more than entertainment. It becomes an act of resistance wrapped in rhinestones.

The Stage is Sacred

Let’s be honest—despite the ongoing kalokohan in politics and international conflicts that make us say “Bahala na si Batman,” our trans community keeps the spirit alive. With events like Miss International Queen setting global standards, these queens aren’t just walking—they’re rewriting the story. From Valenzuela to Vietnam, the dream is alive: to wear that crown, represent the Philippines in Thailand, and maybe even become the next Kevin Balot.

Photo taken from: https://outragemag.com/a-close-look-at-miss-gay/

And these aren’t just any girls. These are veterans of barangayan, the gladiators of basketball court pageants, where the only aircon is the wind from an electric fan borrowed from the tanod. Their fluency and conviction? Panalo. They answer tough questions about love, freedom, poverty, and mental health with grace—even when the emcee throws in a twist like, “What is your stand on geopolitical instability?”

Yare.

Still, these queens answer with heart. Even if the questions sometimes sound like they came from a Miss U practice sa tricycle and Miss Gay Lotto the effort is real. And once that Q&A hits Facebook, ayan na. Everyone becomes a judge, lawyer, and philosopher. Netizens dissect every syllable like it’s the bar exam.

Parang laban ni Manny Pacquiao—lahat may opinion, kahit si Tita na walang Facebook dati, may sinasabi na ngayon.

Beyond Beauty: A Real Fight for Space

More than just glitz, these pageants are lifelines. They’re safe spaces in a world that still treats trans women as punchlines or afterthoughts. In a society still dripping with machismo and pa-pogi points, the stage becomes a rare space where they are celebrated—not tolerated.

Photo from Erwin P Rodriguez from Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/deironjames.bautista

And let’s not forget the mental toll. Life outside that gown is rarely fabulous. Many face rejection, harassment, and limited opportunities. So when they stand tall in heels, answering existential questions in a borrowed gown—they’re doing more than pageantry. They're surviving, thriving, and inspiring. That, mga beshie, is no small feat.

Is This the Place to Be?

For now, yes. Pageants are the sanctuary, the arena, the outlet. But someday, we hope that our trans sisters won’t have to prove themselves in feathers and 5-inch heels just to be seen. We dream of a world where their voices matter even without a crown or a sash.

https://mb.com.ph/manilabulletin/uploads/images/2025/07/20/28077.webp

But until then, we cheer. We argue on Facebook. We raise our flags, lace our wigs, and scream “Go girl!” from the sidelines of this colorful, chaotic, and beautiful fight for dignity.

Because whether in gowns or in jeans, every kontesera deserves a stage where she can say:

“Hindi ako maganda lang. Ako ay matalino, may puso, at may laban.”

And that, mga kapitbahay, is the real pageantry of life.