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Vietnam’s Miss Universe 2025 rep is a transgender woman
Vietnam is set to make history at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant by sending its first-ever transgender woman candidate to the competition.
On Instagram, Miss Universe Vietnam (MUV) announced that transgender beauty queen, Nguyen Huong Giang, will be representing their country in the upcoming beauty pageant this November in Thailand.
In the post, MUV described Huong Giang as a “living testament” to the power of perseverance and talent which resonates with the organization's mission.
“The Miss Universe Vietnam Organization has made a special decision: to handpick an outstanding representative, someone who embodies feminine beauty, intelligence, confidence, resilience, and above all, a strong heart that never stops striving,” the Vietnamese caption read, when translated in English by Google.
“The person entrusted with that mission is none other than Miss Nguyen Huong Giang. She is a living testament to the power of perseverance and talent. H??ng Giang's inspiring and proud journey spans many roles: singer, actress, model, MC, judge, and producer."
The organization also stated that Huong Giang, who served as the producer of Miss Universe Vietnam 2024, once again demonstrated her relentless drive to push boundaries, embodying the image of a modern, empowered Vietnamese woman in every role she takes on.
In an Instagram post, Huong Giang admitted to spending a long time to reflect after she was presented with the invitation to represent Vietnam in the pageant.
“I came to realize that once Miss Universe opened this opportunity, it meant they were waiting for the right women to step forward, shine on that stage, and share powerful messages with the world,” she wrote.
“One of those messages is clear: nothing is impossible, and it is never too late for any woman to use the Miss Universe platform to break stereotypes and give back to her community.”
Ending her post, the beauty queen said that her journey is not just a story about gender, but rather a story about people and faith.
“Believe that with enough effort, one day, you can all change your own lives. Your starting point does not define your limits,” she ended.
A model and a singer, Huong Giang won the 2018 edition of Miss International Queen, the world’s biggest pageant for transgender women.
Huong Giang will be the fourth transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant since the organization began allowing transgender contestants in 2013. She is also the first transgender woman candidate from Asia.
Previous transgender women candidates who competed in the pageant were Angela Ponce of Spain in 2018, Rikkie Kollé of the Netherlands, and Marina Machete of Portugal, who were part of the 2023 pageant.
Meanwhile, the Philippines will be represented by Ahtisa Manalo in the competition.
— LA, GMA Integrated News
