Arielle Keil has officially made history as the first transgender woman to win Miss Intercontinental New Zealand and I simply cannot stress this enough: I love this for her.
The 26-year-old Filipino woman grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, where she currently lives and studies fashion design.
Although many people are quick to criticise pageants for being outdated and superficial, Keil praised them for being actually “badass.”
“People think it’s world peace and fake smiles but the women who compete are beautiful on the inside. They’re out doing stuff in their communities. They’re educated. For me, they’re like badass and I always wanted to be like that,” she told the NZ Herald.
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Despite being kicked out of home in 2017 when she came out to her family and revealed that she was undergoing hormone treatment, Keil has continued to kick goals and quite literally make history. Honestly, it’s pretty iconic.
“My life turned upside down when I transitioned … but I would rather go through hell as a woman than have an easy life as a man,’ she told Metro UK after her win. ‘Whatever the universe wants to throw at me – do it,” she explained.
Following her victory, she sat down with GMA News Online to share an inspiring message to her LGBTQIA+ fans.
“To any queer person wanting to do beauty pageants, I would tell them to continue to be themselves unapologetically. Their entry is already doing so much for our community. Representation is vital especially during these times of uncertainty,” she said.
Not only has Keil overcome more adversity than many of us could imagine, but she’s also out here breaking down barriers and serving as an inspiration to so many people. You truly, truly love to see it.
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Although Keil is the first trans woman to win the NZ title, she’s not the first to enter the pageant scene, with Spain’s Angela Ponce breaking barriers back in 2018 as the first openly transgender Miss Universe contestant.
