Venezuelan’s enthusiasm for beauty pageants is unparalleled and Miss Venezuela — the crown jewel of them all — may be the only event able to unite a deeply divided country. But behind the cheers and claps for the women vying for the coveted title is a deeply conservative society with little to no tolerance for any defiance of heteronormative standards. Sofia Salomón is ready to challenge that. The influencer and model has applied to take part in this year’s contest and, if accepted, she will be the first transgender woman to participate. She says her participation could bring visibility to the LGBTQ+ community. Miss Venezuela winners go on to compete in Miss Universe, and the global contest opened to transgender competitors in 2012.
