Ángela Ponce, 26, made history on Friday when she was crowned Miss Universe Spain, becoming the pageant’s first transgender titleholder.“Bringing the name and colours of Spain before the universe is my great dream,” wrote Ponce in Spanish on Instagram shortly after her win, reports The Advocate.
“My goal is to be a spokesperson for a message of inclusion, respect and diversity not only for the LGBTQ+ community but also for the entire world.”In 2012, the Miss Universe Organization ended its ban on transgender contestants. Ponce will go on to represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant later this year.
And this isn’t Ponce’s first pageant. In 2015, Ponce who’s originally from Seville competed for Miss World Spain (which is not affiliated with Miss Universe). And while she didn’t nab the crown, she was happy to represent her province, Cadiz.“I have the regional crown on my head and I will keep fighting to make us seen, to make us heard and to demonstrate that I am already a queen with my own crown,” she said.