A transgender model who was originally born a man will be competing in this year’s Miss Universe pageant, a first for the global competition.
Angela Ponce, a transgender woman, will compete in the 2018 Miss Universe pageant after being crowned Miss Spain. This is the first time in the pageant’s history that a biological man will compete to be Miss Universe.
On social media, Ponce said she wants to be a “spokesperson for a message of inclusion, respect, and diversity” for the world. Ponce is a fashion model who recently walked in multiple runway shows in Madrid, Spain.
Ponce has been celebrating her up and coming fight for the Miss Universe crown on Instagram:
The news comes amid myriad instances in which transgender individuals are sparking debate and outrage from the U.S military to Olympic sports.
Indeed, earlier this year, transgender Brazilian volleyball player Tifanny Abreu sparked controversy with critics slamming the South American country after Abreu dominated over rival teams.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.