Transgender woman to compete in Miss California USA pageant
Breaking News, Top Highlights Friday, January 11th, 2013
Kylan Wenzel Photo: Miss California USA
When she takes the stage Saturday in pursuit of the Miss California USA crown, Kylan Arianna Wenzel will be the first transgender woman to compete in a Miss Universe Organization pageant since officials disqualified 23-year-old Miss Canada Jenna Talackova last year after learning she was transgender.
Following the Miss Universe Organization’s announcement of their rule change allowing trans women to compete for any of their pageant titles 26-year-old Wenzel of Century City left her job as a shift manager at Jamba Juice, moved her sex reassignment surgery up six months and entered the Miss California beauty pageant.
“The first time I watched a beauty pageant was when I was 11, in 1997, when Miss USA won Miss Universe. And ever since then, it’s kind of been implanted in my brain,” Wenzel told Frontiers during a Jan. 3 phone interview. “I wasn’t sure how it would happen for me, but it was something I put out there.”
Wenzel continued, “You have to put it out to the universe—what you want to do—and you have to follow up on it. So, let’s say for transgender individuals, even if you haven’t had your sex change and you’re not sure, you have to act like you are Miss Universe or you are the woman you see yourself being. And you do that in everyday life. So I just worked really hard. I saved for surgery. I started getting procedures early like laser hair removal—things like that. It really is about believing in yourself. But you also need people to believe in you, because you can’t really get that far, sometimes, when you don’t have that kind of support.”
Short URL: http://lgbtweekly.com/?p=33012
Posted by Associate Editor
on Jan 11, 2013. Filed under Breaking News, Top Highlights.
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Wow he looks just like a real woman. Still I think he/her ought to compete with the men or trannvestites. And quit bullying the women. Cause he is still a man and can he can legally get knocked out by a man.
It’s nice that bigots tend to be terrible at things like grammar and spelling; it makes you so much easier to spot (and mock).
She IS a real woman.
Crista, what the hell is wrong with you? Bullying the women? Can still legally get knocked out by a man? Sorry you’re threatened by this gorgeous, strong, outgoing, amazing, WOMAN, but try shutting up until you learn some class and sensitivity.
Crista, the correct pronouns are her and she, and please quit calling for violence against a woman.
“Real woman”? She’s every bit a real woman as you or I.
Crista, she IS a real woman. “Quit bullying the trans* folks.”
@Crista — What an ignorant post! SHE is not a man! SHE is a WOMAN — as “REAL” as any cisgendered woman. She is not a transvestite, either. How exactly is she bullying the other women?
Shut up, Crista.
Crista try not to let jealousy rule your emotions. How does it hurt you if she competes? I know you’re not exactly a brain surgeon, but when did knocking people out become legal? It’s called assault. Please look it up.
Crista,
She is a “real” woman in every way. Scary that your mind goes to something violent within three sentences. Says a lot about what kind of person you are. I am a straight woman and in now way fee bullied or threatened by her. Why do you?
she is a she.
she has had sex reassignment surgery.
she is not a man, she is a woman.
you are bigoted.
Wow! You are gorgeous, Kylan! Good luck!
While I was really sad to to read Crista’s post, I was very happy to read so many stand up and call her on her bigotry. Hopefully she can read these posts with an open mind, with a view to learn and eventually change her thinking. Here’s hoping Crista does that.
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