More than 100 trans men have entered the Miss Italy pageant to protest against the organiser banning trans women from competing.
Earlier this month, Miss Italy patron Patrizia Mirigliani made it clear that only a 'woman from birth' can compete in this year's competition, while deciding to steer away from the 'glittery bandwagon of trans activism'.
Speaking to Radio Cusano, the 65-year-old commented on 22-year-old Rikkie Valerie Kollé - who recently became the first trans woman to win Miss Netherlands.
"Lately, beauty pageants have been trying to make headlines by also using strategies that I think are a bit absurd," she said.
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"Since it was born, my competition has foreseen in its regulation the clarification according to which one must be a woman from birth.
"Probably because, even then, it was foreseen that beauty could undergo modifications, or that women could undergo modifications, or that men could become women."
After Mirigliani's comments were made, the 'Mixed lgbtqia+' trans men community responded in the most unexpected way, by entering the completion.
According to GCN, who first reported the movement, 'these men technically fit all the criteria to enter'.
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The publication states they can qualify if they are of Italian nationality or citizenship, over 18 years old, and are still registered as 'female' on their documents.
Trans activist Federico Barbarossa - who is responsible for launching the campaign - said his aim was 'to trigger, through a joke, a reflection on the absurdity of some logics out of time and out of the world'.
Someone imagines us as three-headed monsters who could never aspire to win a beauty contest, because even the media representation often brings forward narratives that fetishize our bodies,” Barbarossa said.
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“With this campaign, we are giving visibility to the truth of trans people”.
Fellow trans activist, Elia Bonci, also joined in on the action.
"I took courage, used my deadname and signed up for Miss Italy," Bonci said.
"Because fighting transphobia is intersectional and even though I’m not a trans woman, I’ve decided to fight for their rights.
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"Miss Italy is not just a beauty contest, but it is part of the country’s cultural history.
"And excluding trans women automatically means excluding them from history. Pretend they don’t exist."
Commenting on the movement, one fan said: "Great! The next step is to boycott a competition that is not for anything inclusive."
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Another person wrote: "Genius! Another revolution would be that ALL competitors do not participate in masses to send a clear signal that those who have some common sense, do not care about this competition."
UNILAD has contacted the Miss Italy pageant for comment.
Topics: LGBTQ, Transgender, World News, Beauty