Influencer and Instagram model Sofia Salomon recently applied to compete for the coveted title of Miss Venezuela, the South American nation which is said to have an unparalleled enthusiasm for beauty pageants as well as little to no tolerance for challenges to its largely heteronormative standards. If accepted, Solomon would be the first transgender woman to participate in the competition which would determine who would represent Venezuela at the international stage.&nbsp;

<h2>What has Salomon said about the challenge?</h2>

“I think it is a great platform to bring visibility to my community, echo the positive things, and show people the reality of transgender women,” said Salomon, as quoted by the Associated Press. Venezuela is also set to hold its Pride march in the capital, Caracas, on Sunday, with hundreds of people expected to join.&nbsp;

Notably, Salomon was in the top six of Miss International Queen, the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women. “I would like that law changed so transgender women could be accepted with the name they feel safer,” said the Venezuelan influencer at the time, addressing a lawsuit.&nbsp;

While her entry is yet to be confirmed by the Miss Venezuela organisation, Salomon believes she has an advantage over other contestants. “I am of the opinion that experience is not improvised,” said Salomon. She added, “That is why people trust that I will make history in the country.”

She also spoke about the overwhelming support she has received from her parents, siblings and boyfriend, as well as comments and emojis on her Instagram posts about her decision to apply for Miss Venezuela.&nbsp;

<h2>Venezuela’s LGBTQ+ community</h2>

The nearly decade-long lawsuit in question, which Salomon spoke about, was a case involving Tamara Adrian, a transgender woman who wanted to legally change her name and sex on her birth certificate and in public records, which the government said the law already allows.&nbsp;

However, Adrian and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights argued that was not the case and despite over 30 briefs filed and repeated request hearings, her case was overlooked. She went on to become the first trans lawmaker in the South American country, in 2015, representing a district in Caracas.

Earlier this year, Venezuela’s top court revoked a law which punishes consensual same-sex conduct by military personnel. However, the decision to give same-sex couples the right to marry has been held off in the courts for some seven years now.&nbsp;

According to the activist-run Venezuelan Observatory on LGBTIQ+ Violence, an initiative backed by Amnesty International Venezuela, there were nearly 100 cases of violence against members of the community across the country last year, including 11 homicides.&nbsp;

However, the number is said to be higher since many cases are not reported. LGBTQ+ people in Venezuela “suffer numerous forms of discrimination and violence, from the family sphere to public spaces,” said Yendri Velasquez, co-founder of the activist-run initiative. He also noted that in 2021 there were 21 murders of people “just for being gay or lesbian.” 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Influencer and Instagram model Sofia Salomon recently applied to compete for the coveted title of Miss Venezuela, the South American nation which is said to have an unparalleled enthusiasm for beauty pageants as well as little to no tolerance for challenges to its largely heteronormative standards.

Influencer and Instagram model Sofia Salomon recently applied to compete for the coveted title of Miss Venezuela, the South American nation which is said to have an unparalleled enthusiasm for beauty pageants as well as little to no tolerance for challenges to its largely heteronormative standards. If accepted, Solomon would be the first transgender woman to participate in the competition which would determine who would represent Venezuela at the international stage. What has Salomon said about the challenge? “I think it is a great platform to bring visibility to my community, echo the positive things, and show people the reality of transgender women,” said Salomon, as quoted by the Associated Press. Venezuela is also set to hold its Pride march in the capital, Caracas, on Sunday, with hundreds of people expected to join. Notably, Salomon was in the top six of Miss International Queen, the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women. “I would like that law changed so transgender women could be accepted with the name they feel safer,” said the Venezuelan influencer at the time, addressing a lawsuit. While her entry is yet to be confirmed by the Miss Venezuela organisation, Salomon believes she has an advantage over other contestants. “I am of the opinion that experience is not improvised,” said Salomon. She added, “That is why people trust that I will make history in the country.” She also spoke about the overwhelming support she has received from her parents, siblings and boyfriend, as well as comments and emojis on her Instagram posts about her decision to apply for Miss Venezuela. Venezuela’s LGBTQ+ community The nearly decade-long lawsuit in question, which Salomon spoke about, was a case involving Tamara Adrian, a transgender woman who wanted to legally change her name and sex on her birth certificate and in public records, which the government said the law already allows. However, Adrian and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights argued that was not the case and despite over 30 briefs filed and repeated request hearings, her case was overlooked. She went on to become the first trans lawmaker in the South American country, in 2015, representing a district in Caracas. Earlier this year, Venezuela’s top court revoked a law which punishes consensual same-sex conduct by military personnel. However, the decision to give same-sex couples the right to marry has been held off in the courts for some seven years now. According to the activist-run Venezuelan Observatory on LGBTIQ+ Violence, an initiative backed by Amnesty International Venezuela, there were nearly 100 cases of violence against members of the community across the country last year, including 11 homicides. However, the number is said to be higher since many cases are not reported. LGBTQ+ people in Venezuela “suffer numerous forms of discrimination and violence, from the family sphere to public spaces,” said Yendri Velasquez, co-founder of the activist-run initiative. He also noted that in 2021 there were 21 murders of people “just for being gay or lesbian.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Transgender woman Sofia Salomon challenges norms, applies to compete in Miss Venezuela pageant

For the first time in its history, the Miss Venezuela contest will not publish the 24 contestants' waist, bust and hip measurements, organizers said -- as pageants face criticism for their primary focus on physical appearance.

The event, which will take place in Caracas on Thursday, has been running since 1952 and has an enviable record on the international stage, having produced seven Miss Universe winners and six in Miss World.

Traditionally, the contestants' vital statistics have been publicized -- with a 90-centimetre (36- inch) bust, 60-centimetre&nbsp;waist and 90-centimetre hips long considered the ideal.

This year, contestants will still parade on stage in swimsuits and evening gowns, but organizers say they want to fight stereotypes about what an ideal woman looks like and hence will not reveal their measurements.

"A woman's beauty isn't 90, 60, 90 ... It is measured by each one's talent," said Gabriela Isler, the pageant's spokeswoman and Venezuela's last Miss Universe winner in 2013.

At past pageants, presenters would tell the audience the exact size of each contestant, many of whom underwent cosmetic surgery and followed strict diets in a bid to achieve the supposedly ideal physique.

Miss Venezuela is normally a big business in the crisis-wracked Latin American country, but it is suffering from the same difficulties as the rest of the population.

One of those is frequent blackouts, the latest of which hit the country on July 22.

Isler revealed that the pageant did not have enough money to put in place contingency measures in case of a power outage on Thursday.

For the first time in its history, the Miss Venezuela contest will not publish the 24 contestants' waist, bust and hip measurements, organizers said -- as pageants face criticism for their primary focus on physical appearance.

For the first time in its history, the Miss Venezuela contest will not publish the 24 contestants' waist, bust and hip measurements, organizers said -- as pageants face criticism for their primary focus on physical appearance. The event, which will take place in Caracas on Thursday, has been running since 1952 and has an enviable record on the international stage, having produced seven Miss Universe winners and six in Miss World. Traditionally, the contestants' vital statistics have been publicized -- with a 90-centimetre (36- inch) bust, 60-centimetre waist and 90-centimetre hips long considered the ideal. This year, contestants will still parade on stage in swimsuits and evening gowns, but organizers say they want to fight stereotypes about what an ideal woman looks like and hence will not reveal their measurements. "A woman's beauty isn't 90, 60, 90 ... It is measured by each one's talent," said Gabriela Isler, the pageant's spokeswoman and Venezuela's last Miss Universe winner in 2013. At past pageants, presenters would tell the audience the exact size of each contestant, many of whom underwent cosmetic surgery and followed strict diets in a bid to achieve the supposedly ideal physique. Miss Venezuela is normally a big business in the crisis-wracked Latin American country, but it is suffering from the same difficulties as the rest of the population. One of those is frequent blackouts, the latest of which hit the country on July 22. Isler revealed that the pageant did not have enough money to put in place contingency measures in case of a power outage on Thursday.

In a first, Miss Venezuela ditches contestants' measurements

The reigning Miss Venezuela says she has been robbed at gunpoint, forced to scramble to put food on the table and had to bid a tearful farewell to two brothers who fled the South American country's economic crisis.

Yet despite shortages of basic products and the world's highest inflation rate, deep political uncertainty and elevated levels of crime, Isabella Rodriguez says she remains hopeful that things will improve.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e3Qe01AHQxE" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

A dark-skinned model who hails from a slum located on steep hills in Caracas' eastern outskirts, the 25-year-old Rodriguez doesn't fit the typical beauty mould in pageant-crazy Venezuela, but her life experiences accurately mirror those of the majority of her compatriots.

Speaking with equal passion about the Petare shantytown where she still lives and her personal spirituality, Rodriguez said on Wednesday that she wants to leverage those dual aspects of her identity to help local residents of that low-income district, particularly young girls.

An avowed feminist, she plans to provide counselling and give talks on women's empowerment as part of the social-work duties that accompany her new title as Miss Venezuela, which she won in December.

Rodriguez stressed the importance of gender equality in any line of work and said her example can be used to show young girls from Petare - considered Latin America's largest shantytown - that persistence is rewarded and dreams can come true.

The beauty queen was one of hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets of Caracas on January 23 to protest against a debilitating economic crisis that has led to an exodus of millions of Venezuelans in recent years.

Two of those emigrants are Rodriguez's brothers, who traveled to Peru in search of greater economic opportunities.

"I want to be in a country with security... because I also have the right to a normal diet, the right to live in peace," she said, adding that thousands of people like her, especially in poor areas of the country, share that same yearning and are willing to work for the common good.

Without mentioning the political conflict between leftist President Nicolas Maduro's administration and the opposition-led legislature, whose speaker has declared himself the interim head of state, Rodriguez said she believes Venezuela will soon emerge from a long-standing crisis marked by food and medicine shortages, high levels of violent crime and hyperinflation.

The beauty queen has experienced these scourges first-hand, noting that she and her parents have wondered at times what they can afford to eat and that she was a victim of an armed robbery in her own neighbourhood.

"We almost had to beg for our lives," Rodriguez said, adding that on another occasion she and numerous other people - including school-aged children - came upon the body of a slain man while descending a steep hillside in Petare.

Separately, Rodriguez also expressed support for Spaniard Angela Ponce, who last year became the first transgender contestant in a Miss Universe competition, saying that "when a person decides to pursue a dream ... there's no reason for us to judge her."

The Venezuelan herself was the target of ridicule and prejudice after her coronation, with some social-media users posting racist and classist messages that denigrated her physical features and humble origins.

"Criticism has never affected me... I know how much effort I put in to win the crown," she said, noting that gaining tens of thousands of followers on social media has been a positive because she has been able to raise money for sick children.

Rodriguez also has used her online presence to denounce acts of xenophobia experienced by some of her countrymen in Ecuador, where the murder of a pregnant Ecuadorian woman by a Venezuelan migrant triggered an immigration backlash.

"That really hit me hard... we're surrounded here by Ecuadorians, Colombians, and they're very welcome," the beauty queen said, calling for rationality and common sense to prevail.

With her origins in a low-income neighbourhood and evident love for a country she doesn't want to abandon and longs to see prosper, Rodriguez is perhaps a perfect representative of Venezuela, and not only because she will wear a sash bearing her country's name later this year at the Miss World pageant in Thailand.

The reigning Miss Venezuela says she has been robbed at gunpoint, forced to scramble to put food on the table and had to bid a tearful farewell to two brothers who fled the South American country's economic crisis.

The reigning Miss Venezuela says she has been robbed at gunpoint, forced to scramble to put food on the table and had to bid a tearful farewell to two brothers who fled the South American country's economic crisis. Yet despite shortages of basic products and the world's highest inflation rate, deep political uncertainty and elevated levels of crime, Isabella Rodriguez says she remains hopeful that things will improve. × A dark-skinned model who hails from a slum located on steep hills in Caracas' eastern outskirts, the 25-year-old Rodriguez doesn't fit the typical beauty mould in pageant-crazy Venezuela, but her life experiences accurately mirror those of the majority of her compatriots. Speaking with equal passion about the Petare shantytown where she still lives and her personal spirituality, Rodriguez said on Wednesday that she wants to leverage those dual aspects of her identity to help local residents of that low-income district, particularly young girls. An avowed feminist, she plans to provide counselling and give talks on women's empowerment as part of the social-work duties that accompany her new title as Miss Venezuela, which she won in December. Rodriguez stressed the importance of gender equality in any line of work and said her example can be used to show young girls from Petare - considered Latin America's largest shantytown - that persistence is rewarded and dreams can come true. The beauty queen was one of hundreds of thousands of people who took to the streets of Caracas on January 23 to protest against a debilitating economic crisis that has led to an exodus of millions of Venezuelans in recent years. Two of those emigrants are Rodriguez's brothers, who traveled to Peru in search of greater economic opportunities. "I want to be in a country with security... because I also have the right to a normal diet, the right to live in peace," she said, adding that thousands of people like her, especially in poor areas of the country, share that same yearning and are willing to work for the common good. Without mentioning the political conflict between leftist President Nicolas Maduro's administration and the opposition-led legislature, whose speaker has declared himself the interim head of state, Rodriguez said she believes Venezuela will soon emerge from a long-standing crisis marked by food and medicine shortages, high levels of violent crime and hyperinflation. The beauty queen has experienced these scourges first-hand, noting that she and her parents have wondered at times what they can afford to eat and that she was a victim of an armed robbery in her own neighbourhood. "We almost had to beg for our lives," Rodriguez said, adding that on another occasion she and numerous other people - including school-aged children - came upon the body of a slain man while descending a steep hillside in Petare. Separately, Rodriguez also expressed support for Spaniard Angela Ponce, who last year became the first transgender contestant in a Miss Universe competition, saying that "when a person decides to pursue a dream ... there's no reason for us to judge her." The Venezuelan herself was the target of ridicule and prejudice after her coronation, with some social-media users posting racist and classist messages that denigrated her physical features and humble origins. "Criticism has never affected me... I know how much effort I put in to win the crown," she said, noting that gaining tens of thousands of followers on social media has been a positive because she has been able to raise money for sick children. Rodriguez also has used her online presence to denounce acts of xenophobia experienced by some of her countrymen in Ecuador, where the murder of a pregnant Ecuadorian woman by a Venezuelan migrant triggered an immigration backlash. "That really hit me hard... we're surrounded here by Ecuadorians, Colombians, and they're very welcome," the beauty queen said, calling for rationality and common sense to prevail. With her origins in a low-income neighbourhood and evident love for a country she doesn't want to abandon and longs to see prosper, Rodriguez is perhaps a perfect representative of Venezuela, and not only because she will wear a sash bearing her country's name later this year at the Miss World pageant in Thailand.

Watch: We almost had to beg for our lives, says Miss Venezuela on her country's economic crisis

Miss Venezuela keeps hope intact despite country's struggles

miss-venezuela

Miss Venezuela, News on Miss Venezuela, stories on Miss Venezuela, articles on Miss Venezuela, Miss Venezuela stories at Wion, Miss Venezuela news, Miss Venezuela latest news

miss venezuela

Transgender woman Sofia Salomon challenges norms, applies to compete in Miss Venezuela pageant

In a first, Miss Venezuela ditches contestants' measurements

Watch: We almost had to beg for our lives, says Miss Venezuela on her country's economic crisis

Miss Venezuela keeps hope intact despite country's struggles