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Half-Pinay transgender beauty queen thanks conservative dad for support
Arielle Keil is the first transgender woman to represent New Zealand in the upcoming Miss Intercontinental pageant.
In an interview with GMA News Online on Thursday, the half-Filipina beauty queen shared how reaching for her dreams has not always been that easy.
Ari, as everybody calls her, was born in Davao City and was raised by devout Christian parents in Auckland, New Zealand.
"Like most Filipino fathers, they have a dream of how they want their son to be," she said.
"They want him to like boxing, basketball and all that stuff. Early on my Dad realised that was never going to be me. For the longest time I feel like my parents didn’t know what to do with me because I wasn’t what they were hoping for," she added.
In 2013, Ari was kicked out of their home after she told her parents about her transition.
“I didn’t know where I was going to stay at the time, and I couch-surfed and shared beds with friends til I had my own place to call home," she said.
"It was very hard for me at first because my Ate lives in the States so I don’t have family here in New Zealand outside of my parents. So I felt so alone for the longest time," she added.
It may have taken a while, but Ari's father eventually came around.
"He’s done a complete 180 and he now accepts me as his daughter!" she said.
"It’s been hard for him to accept the loss of his son, which I understand. It was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact I’m transgender, so it must have been just as hard for my dad too," she added.
Like many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Ari had to fight a lot of battles especially with discrimination and prejudice.
"In 2012, the rules were rewritten when Jenna Talackova entered Miss Canada. That was when I told myself that when I find the courage to live my truth, I’m gonna live out a dream I’ve wanted forever," she said.
Ari would eventually make history as the first transgender woman to represent New Zealand in the upcoming Miss Intercontinental pageant.
She has incredibly high hopes for those who have the same dreams.
"To any queer person wanting to do beauty pageants I would tell them to continue to be themselves unapologetically," Ari said.
"Their entry is already doing so much for our community. Representation is vital especially during these times of uncertainty," she added.
Even now, as she gears up for Miss Intercontinental, Ari can still remember practicing her Q&A by herself in her room.
"My dad would help me too sometimes, when I tried to recreate Catriona’s slow mo turn," she shared. — LA, GMA News
