MANILA, Philippines — Transwoman and Miss International Queen 2012 Kevin Balot publicly changed her stance on whether transgender contestants should join beauty pageants for “natural-born women” after her earlier controversial statement drew the ire of the online gay community.
Girl i really looked up to queen Kevin Balot cause her presence as an openly proud trans woman really helped our community. So disappointed to hear na we’re apparently “asking for too much” when we fight to get represented in beauty pageants. Hay lungkot pic.twitter.com/LXpXbfJXOK
— Gigi on YouTube (@gigiesguerra) June 23, 2020
Personality politics is whack. Just because one belongs in the margins doesn't mean one's ideas and beliefs represent the best interest of everybody else in the margins. Kevin Balot is a class traitor who thinks demanding a seat at the table is asking "too much".
— Alfonso Manalastas (@not_alfonso) June 23, 2020
Kevin Balot, as a cis-passing trans woman can always talk about how she has been accustomed to almost fair treatment. But allowing that experience to be the template for all trans women is turning a blind eye to the systemic violence faced by trans people as a whole.
— Amber | #JunkTerrorBill #OUSTDuterte (@GeeYanii) June 23, 2020
Kevin Balot wanting to set back victories made by women like Angela Ponce, is peak privilege. Segegrating women's pageants only reinforces the denial of the womanhood of trans women.
It's not asking for too much, when they give you nothing to begin with.— Ja #SOGIEEqualityNow ????????? (@dyaelgonzales) June 23, 2020
I love you with all my heart Ate @KevinBalot but this isn't just right. Not even for a bit. It defeats the very purpose of your existence as a woman.https://t.co/3PpEiqRaX8
— Barangay Queen x Mother Kepler (@InahEvans) June 23, 2020
In a sit-down virtual “Queentuhan” yesterday morning with Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Binibining Pilipinas International 2014 Bianca Guidotti and television and events host Carla Lizardo, Kevin said that while she is not against pageants like Miss Universe accepting trans contestants, they must also not be pressured into doing so.
“I believe us transgender women joining sa mga Miss Universe is not equality anymore eh. Hindi lang ako sang-ayon sa mga ganoong bagay kasi we have our own pageant. We have the Miss International Queen pageant which is the most prestigious transgender beauty pageant," Kevin said yesterday.
"Hindi na siya equality eh, parang asking too much na... We have to respect each other."
Kevin has since retracted the statement, clarifying that she miscommunicated her beliefs and assuring her solidarity with the struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Hello everyone! gusto ko lang po i-clear yung confusion. Hindi naman po sa naniniwala ako na hindi dapat sumali ang transgender women sa traditional pageants. What I meant was bilang isang representative ng Miss International Queen, gusto ko lang na ma recognize ang pageant na ito as the most prestigious pageant for transwomen. I know na mali ako for saying na ‘too much’ na or ‘hindi na equality’ ‘yun pero just know na hinding hindi po ayun ang paniniwala ko. I just used the wrong terms dahil hindi po ako ganun kagaling at expressing myself in English.”
Thank you for all your comments and bubulay bulayin ko po lahat yun para ma improve ang way of thinking ko. Please know na kaisa nyo ako sa pakikipaglaban para sa pagkakapantay pantay ng lahat. I'm really sorry for the confusion.
— The girl named Kevin. (@KevinBalot) June 23, 2020
Pageant fans recalled that Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray supported the inclusion of her previous competitor, Spain's Angela Ponce — the first openly transgender contestant in the competition’s history who vied for the title.
"I'm open to it because individually, I see beauty queens more than a physical aspect. We represent something. That has to be what we're they're for. And she has a purpose. She is that voice for the transgender community and if she can further educate people about what are the needs of the transgender community to get us to be more compassionate towards them...because I have I close friends who are transgender so I've heard their experiences and there is a lot of work to be done in how we come towards them."