Transgender beauty queen Kevin Balot recently made a statement saying "traditional" pageants should be exclusive to natural-born women only.
The 2012 Miss International Queen and LGBTQ+ rights advocate said in a pageant-themed podcast on Facebook, hosted by Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Binibining Pilipinas International 2014 Bianca Guidotti, and Mutya Ng Pilipinas Intercontinental 2010 Carla Lizardo, that transgenders who participate in natural-born pageants is "not equality anymore" and it is "asking too much."
"We transwomen always ask for equality, and I believe us transgender women joining sa mga Miss Universe is not equality anymore, eh," she said. "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."
"Hindi na siya equality eh, parang asking too much na," she went on.
However, Balot said she has nothing against the pageants who have accepted transgender participants, such as Miss Universe.
She added that it is all up to the organizers of pageants to let transwomen compete or not, saying there is no pressure.
"We have to respect each other," she pressed.
Pia, Bianca, and Carla then started a discussion on the perspectives of natural-born women and transwomen regarding the matter.
Balot, then, said she would rather ask for support through transgender platforms, like the Miss International Queen pageant.
"Kailangan lang namin ng mas marami pang suporta para mas ma-boost 'yung platform namin. Kasi platform niyo na 'yan eh," she said on traditional pageants. "Ang kailangan namin is your support. You support us, too."
Episode 6: Queentuhan with Kevin BalotFor this week's episode, the Queens are one with the LGBT community in celebrating Pride Month. Joining our Queentuhan is Miss International Queen 2012 Kevin Balot. We'll be talking about her journey of self-discovery, pageant experience, and how she uses her influence as one of the most prominent faces of the trans community in the Philippines.
Posted by Trypod Network on Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Netizens on Twitter expressed disappointment towards Balot's statement on the podcast, with some saying it invalidates what she has fought for as an LGBTQ+ advocate, especially during the time of Pride Month.
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
Di naman kami humihingi ng sobra, Ms. Kevin Balot. Kailan ba tayo humingi ng sobra? Eh sa totoo nga, tayo 'tong palaging dehado sa lipunan.
— Macoy Dubs (@macoydubs1) June 23, 2020
This is painful to hear. @KevinBalot, careful ka sis. You could be invalidating decades’ worth of activism with your belief. Pride month pa naman ☹️ https://t.co/1fTrBG6AcY
— Pat Bringas (@pyarbie) June 23, 2020
kevin balot is the ricky reyes of the trans community and it's so enraging to think that them, as a member of their own community dont have a great view for their identity that must be recognized and acknowledged by the whole world :/
— ً (@lgsoulz) June 23, 2020
Did kevin balot really said that??? As someone who openly represent the transwoman, I’m badly disappointed with her views. Never naging sobra ang paghihinge ng equality, miss maam. Never!! Sa totoo nga, kulang pa at laging dehado. Nakakalungot :( pic.twitter.com/BYsGGnOBVp
— Zeke 🏳️🌈 (@zekemartinx) June 23, 2020
However, hours after the podcast, Balot clarified her statement through Twitter, saying she does not believe that transwomen should not join traditional pageants, rather wanting to recognize Miss International Queen as the most prestigious transgender pageant.
"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," she wrote. "I just used the wrong terms dahil hindi po ako ganun kagaling at expressing myself in english."
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-
— The girl named Kevin. (@KevinBalot) June 23, 2020
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.
— The girl named Kevin. (@KevinBalot) June 23, 2020
She then apologized for the confusion and thanked everyone for the comments about her statement.
"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," she wrote.
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
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