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Miriam Quiambao reacts to Miss Universe pageant's new rule allowing transgender women to join

by Demai G. Sunio-Granali posted on April 11, 2012  STATS: 43110 Views | 136 Comments

In one of her tweets to Miss Universe co-owner Donald Trump, 1999 first runner-up Miriam Quiambao asked, “Whatever happened to the "essence of a woman?” borrowing a phrase from the question answered by 1994 pageant winner Sushmita Sen during the final round.

Photo By: Noel Orsal

The Miss Universe beauty pageant continues to sit in controversy over the appeals of disqualified Canadian candidate Jenna Talackova, a transgender woman.

Yesterday, April 10, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) announced that they have lifted the disqualification and has decided to reinstate Talackova in the competition.

Furthermore, the organization also said that they are going to revamp the pageant rules to accommodate transgender women in the contest beginning 2013.

According to MUO president Paula Shugart, who was quoted in an article published on the official website of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD):

“We want to give credit where credit is due, and the decision to include transgender women in our beauty competitions is a result of our ongoing discussions with GLAAD and not Jenna’s legal representation, which if anything, delayed the process.

“We have a long history of supporting equality for all women, and this was something we took very seriously.”

MIRIAM QUIMABAO SAYS "NO." Members of the gay and lesbian community who rallied alongside Talackova were thrilled to hear this news.

However, for some people, it was an appaling idea to even consider—that includes Miss Universe 1999 first runner-up Miriam Quiambao who took to Twitter today, April 11, to express her firm opposition of the new rule.

“In my humble opinion, transgenders should not be allowed to join the MissU because it's only for REAL women.

“We should all make a stand. Just because it's popular, it doesn't mean that it's right.”

She even made her views known to MUO co-owner Donald Trump through direct tweets she sent to him:

“@realDonaldTrump in my humble opinion, the decision to include transgenders in the @MissUniverse pageant sends the wrong message.

“This may set a precedent that one day most participants in @MissUniverse are transgenders. #essenceofawoman? #majormistake @realDonaldTrump”

RULES ARE RULES. Even before bashers had the chance to hound Miriam with negative comments, she was already quick to defend herself from people who might call her judgmental towards members of the third sex.

She said, “I'm not judging gays/transgenders and I love them anyway but @MissUniverse should be for natural born women only.”

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136 Comments

  • 136  jennyamasanti

    05/02/2012 | 12:46 AM
    steelwings = HAHAHA WHAT YOU SAID WAS FUNNY. IT'S GAYBSCBN NGA DAHIL LAHAT NG ARTISTA SA ABSCBN AY PURO MGA BKLA LAHAT 100. HAAAY NAKU BAKIT LAHAT NG MGA SIKAT AT MGA GUSTONG SUMIKAT AY MGA BAKLA LAHAT..
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  • 135  jennyamasanti

    05/02/2012 | 12:41 AM
    daredeviltry: YES I THINK IT'S A SIGN OF WORLD DESTRUCTION BUT I HOPE IT WON'T HAPPEN. AND ALSO: I'M ALSO GAY BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT SHE SAID. WE SHOULD ALL ACCEPT THE TRUTH.. THERE IS ONLY ONE GENDER FROM THE BEGINNING AND IT'S ONLY A MAN AND A WOMAN.. AND TO QUALIFY US GAYS, TRANSGENDERS AND TRANSEXUALS TO THE "MISS UNIVERSE" BEAUTY PAGEANT IS A TOTAL INSANITY.. LOGICALLY IT'S MISS BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE MISS. IT NEDDS TO BE SOMETHING REAL AND INBORN. COME ON WAKE UP PLEASE. WE ARE BECOMING SO MUCH IMMORAL WITH WHATS HAPPENING WITH THE SOCIETY NOWADAYS. YES WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND STARTING TO BE MORE ACCEPTED IN THE SOCIETY BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS. DO YOU MEAN THAT WOMEN WHO ARE MUSCULAR AND LOOKS LIKE MEN CAN ALSO JOIN THE "MR UNIVERSE " CONTEST OH MY GOODNESS. THINK ABOUT YOURSELVES, YOU ALL MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MINDS. YOU JUST CHANGED YOURSELVES AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU WE'RE BORN MEN. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL THE REAL WOMEN IF ALL THE TRANSGENDERS WOULD
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  • 134  jennyamasanti

    05/02/2012 | 12:36 AM
    I'M ALSO GAY BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT SHE SAID. WE SHOULD ALL ACCEPT THE TRUTH.. THERE IS ONLY ONE GENDER FROM THE BEGINNING AND IT'S ONLY A MAN AND A WOMAN.. AND TO QUALIFY US GAYS, TRANSGENDERS AND TRANSEXUALS TO THE "MISS UNIVERSE" BEAUTY PAGEANT IS A TOTAL INSANITY.. LOGICALLY IT'S MISS BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE MISS. IT NEDDS TO BE SOMETHING REAL AND INBORN. COME ON WAKE UP PLEASE. WE ARE BECOMING SO MUCH IMMORAL WITH WHATS HAPPENING WITH THE SOCIETY NOWADAYS. YES WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND STARTING TO BE MORE ACCEPTED IN THE SOCIETY BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS. DO YOU MEAN THAT WOMEN WHO ARE MUSCULAR AND LOOKS LIKE MEN CAN ALSO JOIN THE "MR UNIVERSE " CONTEST OH MY GOODNESS. THINK ABOUT YOURSELVES, YOU ALL MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MINDS. YOU JUST CHANGED YOURSELVES AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU WE'RE BORN MEN. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL THE REAL WOMEN IF ALL THE TRANSGENDERS WOULD ALL BE LOOKING LIKE ONE AND BE QUALIFIED AND THE MAJORITY WOULD BE TRANGENDERS AND TRANSEXUALS? THERE
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  • 133  jennyamasanti

    05/02/2012 | 12:35 AM
    I'M ALSO GAY BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT SHE SAID. WE SHOULD ALL ACCEPT THE TRUTH.. THERE IS ONLY ONE GENDER FROM THE BEGINNING AND IT'S ONLY A MAN AND A WOMAN.. AND TO QUALIFY US GAYS, TRANSGENDERS AND TRANSEXUALS TO THE "MISS UNIVERSE" BEAUTY PAGEANT IS A TOTAL INSANITY.. LOGICALLY IT'S MISS BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE MISS. IT NEDDS TO BE SOMETHING REAL AND INBORN. COME ON WAKE UP PLEASE. WE ARE BECOMING SO MUCH IMMORAL WITH WHATS HAPPENING WITH THE SOCIETY NOWADAYS. YES WE HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND STARTING TO BE MORE ACCEPTED IN THE SOCIETY BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS. DO YOU MEAN THAT WOMEN WHO ARE MUSCULAR AND LOOKS LIKE MEN CAN ALSO JOIN THE "MR UNIVERSE " CONTEST OH MY GOODNESS. THINK ABOUT YOURSELVES, YOU ALL MUST BE OUT OF YOUR MINDS. YOU JUST CHANGED YOURSELVES AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU WE'RE BORN MEN. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ALL THE REAL WOMEN IF ALL THE TRANSGENDERS WOULD ALL BE LOOKING LIKE ONE AND BE QUALIFIED AND THE MAJORITY WOULD BE TRANGENDERS AND TRANSEXUALS? THERE
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  • 132  kungsinoman1234

    04/30/2012 | 10:28 PM
    "According to information posted on the Miss Universe official website, the qualifications for a pageant candidate are that women must be 18 to 27 years old to join, must not have ever been married, not had a marriage annulled, and must not have given birth to or parented a child." Please take note of the last part of the statement above. Logically, do you think it's fair that someone can join a contest kung saan ang isa sa mga qualifications para makasali sya ay hindi naman applicable sa kanya? Haba, sorry.. Anyway. I'm not taking a stab at anything but this. Minsan kasi, kailangan natin maging objective. Kung nagbago man ang qualifications ng pageant na ito to accommodate transgendered women, sabihan nyo naman ako. Last time I checked, ito ang isa sa mga nakalagay sa faqs page nila, "CAN CONTESTANTS BE MARRIED? No, contestants may not be married or pregnant. They must not have ever been married, not had a marriage annulled nor given birth to, or parented, a child. The titleholders
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  • 131  Ligayaparaiso2011

    04/13/2012 | 06:16 PM
    puckerlips143, magpa-opera ka at sumali. Pang-Miss Universe yong ....my turn ons are people who value their inner as well as outer beauty and maintain their well being.... Bwahahaha....Ang lupit mo talagang mag-English. Kaya lang hindi ka na pala pwede dahil 32 ka na sa May 17. Bwahahaha...
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  • 130  Ligayaparaiso2011

    04/13/2012 | 05:54 PM
    puckerlips143, oy Chris hwag kang sinungaling! Ang sabi mo I fancy men and women. Unless pa-effect ka lang pero sa totoo 100 per cent kang baklush. Bwahahaha...
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  • 129  steelwings

    04/13/2012 | 09:56 AM
    Pwde nang sumali sila Miss PANGOla, Miss SOBRAsil, Miss PACHIna, Miss VeneZWELAT, Miss LUKRAine! AKA mga Eat Bulaga version ng Miss Universe 2011 hahahahah! Im so happy for Miss World Philippines, ewan ko ba pero madaling mkharma ang mga lumalait basta sa GMA7 umeere ang pageant! Ano kayang damage control ang sasabihin ng GAYbscbn about this news?? For sure mawawalan na ng saysay ang manood ng Miss Universe esp nextyear! hahahhha! Nalungkot ng todo si 1st Runnerup Miriam Quiambao, dahil she felt damay sila at bumaba ang crdeibility ng Miss Universe pageant! FYI, 3rd runnerup is WORTHLESS compared to first runnerup! For me, si Miriam Quiambao pa rin ang THE BEST Miss Universe representative ng Pilipinas, apart from Gloria Diaz and Margarita Moran! Shamcey, pasalamat ka sa hype at ingay na bnigay sayo ng mga byarang GAYbscbn fantards at sikat ka lang sa Pinas!
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  • 128  steelwings

    04/13/2012 | 09:41 AM
    Pwede na rin sumali si Shamcey Tsuptsup Mwahmwah Paolo Ballesteros sa Miss Universe 2013!! Hahahhhahaha!!! Love it!! Magmumukhang karnabal ang Miss Universe!! GAYNESS to the HIGHEST LEVEL!!
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  • 127  steelwings

    04/13/2012 | 09:29 AM
    Try nyo isearch, Miss Universe is not rating well sa ibang bansa! Kaya ganon na lang ang pagpayag ni Donald Trump na sumali ang mga transgenders or mga FAKE females sa Miss Universe! Ang highest entrants ng Miss Universe so far ay 89 candidates lang. Compared sa Miss World, na nakaka 113 entrants pala ito kada taon 90-100 entrants, meaning MAS PRESTIGIOUS talaga ang Miss World, but UNFORTUNATELY wala pang korona ang Pilipinas dito. Kaya naman GMA7 is working out to make history na sana may makakuha ng Miss World titile ang Pilipinas! Malaking shompal ito sa mga vekling GAYbscbn fantards! hahahahah! Laitin nyo Miss World pageant ngayon, eh mas kalait lait naman ang Miss Universe ngayon! hahahahhaha! BUTI nga mga GAYbscbn fantards! hahhhahah! Dami ko tawa sa inyo ngayon! VINDICATED si Gwendolyn sa panlalait ng mga byarang GAYbscbn fantards! Mas disenteng manood ng Miss World, napaka formal ng pageant, samantala ang Miss Universe, uso laglagan ng korona, at nagiging Americas Next Top Model na lang ang format! ha
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  • 126  puckerlips143

    04/13/2012 | 07:09 AM
    Dapat kasi sa mga kagaya ni ligayang d malaman kung magpapakabbae o lalaki eh itapon sa isang isla haha at ipakain sa buwaya.
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  • 125  puckerlips143

    04/13/2012 | 07:08 AM
    Haha ligaya atsan mo naman nahagilap yang i fancy man and woman nagimbento ka na namang hi taad ka. Isa ka siguro sa mga tarussshhh na gustong maging girl beahahha ipit ipitin sa likod ng d ka mapaghalata ligayang walang kaligayahan lol.
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  • 124  perlita66

    04/13/2012 | 06:51 AM
    Mga Iprokrito bakit ayaw ninyong aminin sa mga ninyo na HOMOPHOBIC kayo.
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  • 123  rom_05

    04/12/2012 | 11:22 PM
    bakit ba ang daling isigaw ang discrimination na yan?? If gays and transgenders wants to make a statement about acceptance kailangan ba talaga sa beauty contest? Ilang porsiyento lang ba ng mga totoong babae ang sumasali sa beauty contests na yan. Most women are not beauty contest materials. Most work their butts off as mothers, workers. They care more about their family than trying to fit in those bikinis.
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  • 122  rom_05

    04/12/2012 | 11:04 PM
    simpleng publicity, mga transgender at gay na lang yata nanonood ng Miss U baka nga naman mas mabawasan pa ng viewers kapag naakusahan pa sila ng discrimination. Alisin na rin nila ang height requirements kung meron man.
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  • 121  semsem

    04/12/2012 | 10:24 PM
    114superinday i totally agree!
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  • 120  semsem

    04/12/2012 | 10:21 PM
    perlita66 magkakagulo ang buong mundo kung walang rules and regulations..hindi ibig sabihin na discrimination na lang lagi!bakit kailangan ipilit ang di pwede?
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  • 119  perlita66

    04/12/2012 | 10:13 PM
    This is discrimination...against equality and humanity. Kung dito palang sa Ms. Universe Pagent...meron nang discrimination sa mga transgender...Paano pa kaya sa mga malalaking opportunidad tulad ng trabaho, health care at edukasyon sa lipunan. SAPAT NAMAN ANG EDUKASYON SA PILIPINAS...PERO MARAMI PARING MANG-MANG NA FILIPINO TULAD NI MIRIAM QUIAMBAO.
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  • 118  trinoma_rat

    04/12/2012 | 06:32 PM
    correct. Ms Universe with transgenders should also then let in women who are not in the "traditional sexy" mode. It's about time that women should be viewed not as sex objects sexy, voluptuous, etcetera but as persons. Anyway, what's more important is what's in the mind and heart, not the body. Physical beauty will fade but a person with a good heart and soul will always be beautiful that goes for women AND men.
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  • 117  seriouscampaign

    04/12/2012 | 05:40 PM
    So, please let us join hands to stop this foolishness. Please make me your friend on facebook 'nototranssexualsatyahoodotcom'. Then spread my youtube video...'no to trannies'... Let us be vigilant.
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