MaharlikaNews | Canada Leading Online Filipino Newspaper Portal The No. 1 most engaged information website for Filipino – Canadian in Canada. MaharlikaNews.com received almost a quarter a million visitors in 2020.
MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz and her daughter Isabelle Daza firmly believe only biological women should compete at Miss Universe.
The mother-daughter duo were the guests on the February 27 episode of "Fast Talk With Boy Abunda," and midway through the show, Boy brought up the inclusivity changes the pageant made by allowing women of all ages including transgender women, mothers, wives, and pregnant women to compete.
Isabelle acknowledged it was a controversial topic which she has an unpopular opinion to, "I agree when my mom said before where if it's Miss Universe and and they're just I guess including everybody, then it should just be [called] Universe."
Gloria quipped that Boy could join, to which Boy said he would if Gloria insisted, before Isabelle continued about an initial barrier existing prior to the rule changes.
The host-actress affirmed that she is all for inclusivity and equality, and brought up something that transgender personality Caitlyn Jenner said before.
"She said that people mistake fighting for equality and fighting for fairness to be in the same thing," Isabelle said. "So if you have transgenders in sports, it's not necessarily fair."
To summarize, Gloria said everyone should have their Universe version of pageants like Miss Transvestite Universe or Miss Tomboy Universe, "Sa Miss Universe, dapat Miss Universe, pero iba na talaga ngayon!"
Gloria then recounted a time she talked to Isabelle about joining Miss Universe, joking that if she lost, Gloria would scandalize the organization.
Isabelle opined that during Gloria's era of pageants, women really joined for their beauty to which Gloria added the pageant wasn't too financially motivated at the time.
The veteran beauty queen recalled during her time only women between 18 and 23 years old joined pageants, and so 23-year-old contestants would be introduced as "the oldest candidate" at competitions.
Boy finished the topic by noting how different and simple the pasarela was during Gloria's time.
"I guess also times have changed and things have evolved, which is good," Isabelle ended.
More than 50 contestants will be competing at Miss Universe Philippines 2024 to succeed current titleholder Michelle Dee.
At least seven of the candidates are over 28 years old, one delegate is married, another is married with kids, and one contestant is a single parent. — Video from GMA Network's YouTube channel
*****
Credit belongs to : www.philstar.com
