Angela Ponce Aims to Become First Transgender Miss Universe

Just like any beauty pageant, Miss Universe 2018 also has its fair share of controversies. The most talked about however is the participation of Angela Ponce of Spain who is the very first transgender in history to participate in Miss Universe after she won the Miss Universe Spain 2018 pageant. 

Will Angela Ponce go all the way to the final round?

Seconds before she was named Miss Spain

The Spanish senorita was one of the most applauded candidates during the National Costume Competition and the Presentation Show (also known as the preliminary swimsuit & evening gown competitions). 

Poise & elegance during the 

National Costume competition

After an impressive performance during the preliminaries, the transgender candidate has now been installed as one of the crown favorites from the Europe continental grouping. 

She was one of the standouts during the preliminaries

Aside from fulfilling a childhood dream to compete in Miss Universe, Angela aims to use the Miss Universe platform to convey her message of inclusion, tolerance and respect for the LGBT community. 

Acknowledging her Thai fans with a queenly wave

With crown favorite Catriona Gray of the Philippinesa

Bonding with the girls

Win or lose, her participation is already a landmark victory for the transgender community.

At home, she works for the Daniela Foundation, a Spanish non-profit organization working with children and families dealing with gender identity issues.

"So many children face discrimination for being different. It is important to tell them they have a right to be who they are, who they want to be,"

Will Angela Ponce become the first transgender to be crowned Miss Universe?

"I was born into a world, into a society which really wasn't prepared for me. I had the support of my family, but I still faced discrimination, and I had no role models," she said. 

Watch Miss Universe 2018 will be telecast today from the IMPACT Arena in Bangkok, Thailand at ABS CBN Channel 2, 8 am and will be aired in more than 190 countries to an estimated half a billion viewers.