Image: Instagram/@teresitassen
Beauty queen Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez clarified that she still supports the Miss Universe organization and the pageant’s first transgender contestant, Angela Ponce of Spain.
The 2017 Reina Hispanoamericana titleholder previously shared her opinion that “Miss Universe per se” should be given to “natural-born women.”
READ: Winwyn Marquez thinks Miss Universe should be for ‘natural-born women’
She first asked people, “Wag lang po sana hanggang headline lang tayo (Let’s not settle with only reading the headline)” after her remark made rounds.
“If pasasalihin talaga (she’s allowed to compete), then I have no problem with it and we all have to accept and respect yung decision, kahit iba ang opinion ko (even if my opinion is different),” Marquez tweeted on Friday..
The beauty queen raised one instance similar to her own experience when the Philippines was invited to join the Reina Hispanoamericana pageant. She said that it first spurred different reactions, adding: “Yung ibang hindi sang-ayon nung sumali ako pero rinespeto pa din nila ang decision ng org at RINESPETO din nila ako at hindi binastos (Some people disagreed when I competed, but they respected the organization’s decision, and they respected and did not ridicule me).”
— Teresita Ssen Marquez (@wynmarquez) July 13, 2018
She also showed love for the LGBTQ community, saying she was proud of how far they have come. “It’s good to have discussions on this topic and I encourage more people to come out with their opinions whether pro or against,” Marquez added.
Marquez had a message to those who misunderstood her statement: “Sana lang, basahin natin nang maayos ang kumpletong sagot. At sana wag nalang tayo mambastos at mag-name calling (I hope we will read what I completely said. And I hope we will not resort to ridiculing or name-calling).”
Ponce was crowned Miss Spain last June 29, besting 20 other contestants for the title. She is set to join the prestigious Miss Universe pageant, who has lifted its ban on joining transgender women in 2012. /ra
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