The Miss Italy pageant has caused controversy by implementing a ban on transgender competitors
The Miss Italy beauty pageant has recently declared its decision not to allow transgender competitors, stating that all entrants must be “a woman from birth.”
Miss Italy Official Patron, Patrizia Mirigliani, highlighted during an interview that this regulation has been a part of the competition’s policy since its inception. She expressed that the requirement was put in place to maintain a clear definition of gender and beauty in the pageant.
Mirigliani also criticized efforts from other competitions that aim to create inclusivity, deeming them “a bit absurd” and merely seeking media attention. She emphasized that the Miss Italy rules have always specified that participants must be women from birth.
This announcement comes in the wake of the Miss Netherlands pageant crowning its first trans-identifying winner, Rikkie Valerie Kolle, which sparked both progress and backlash. Kolle faced online hate following her win but remained focused on the positive aspect of her achievement, as she prepares to compete in the Miss Universe competition, where a transgender winner is yet to be crowned.
Over the years, the Miss Italy competition has made several updates to maintain stringent entry standards. In 2012, a major update was implemented to ban contestants who had undergone plastic surgery. The pageant also enforced strict dress codes, including prohibiting revealing swimwear and encouraging a classic one-piece option reminiscent of the 1950s “classic beauties.”
These changes have sometimes sparked criticism from local media, but the pageant organizers have remained committed to preserving their vision of beauty and femininity.
