Married transgender beauty queen among finalists in Miss Universe Singapore 2024

When Miss Universe Singapore (MUS) 2023 Priyanka Annuncia shared with this writer last year that the pageant was changing things up, she was not lying. 
Married trans woman Qatrisha Zairyah was unveiled as one of the top 15 finalists for Miss Singapore Universe 2024 on Wednesday (Aug 28). This is the first year the pageant is embracing diversity. Among the delegates is also a divorced mum-of-one. 
Though the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) has allowed transgender contestants who are legally female to participate since 2012, this is the first time in the local pageant’s 70-year history that a trans woman has made it as a finalist.
This isn’t Qatrisha first foray into the world of pageants. She was the first runner-up at the Miss International Queen 2023 held in Pattaya, Thailand.
The 33-year-old fashion adviser also took part in two pageants for transgender women last year – Miss Trans Star International in Barcelona and Miss Equity World in Bali.
When 8days.sg spoke to the 1.8m-tall beauty last year, she shared that her journey wasn’t an easy one for her and her family.
“It took some time for them to actually accept me ‘cos we are Muslim,” she said.
“But my mum now understands me. And my dad, when he visited me at my workplace and [understood that I’m] not doing anything illegal, slowly, they were able to accept me,” she added.
Qatrisha also shared that in Singapore, post-op transgender women are able to legally change their gender to female. 
Undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2017, it allowed Qatrisha to marry her 32-year-old Singaporean husband, who works as a non-destructive testing inspector, and apply for a HDB flat.
Married for seven years now, the couple first met when she was 20 and serving her National Service.
Despite her previous experience with pageants, there is still a lot riding for the Qatrisha.
Should she take the crown on coronation night, she will become the first trans woman from Asia to compete at a Miss Universe pageant.
Miss Universe 2023 featured two trans women for the first time – Miss Portugal Marina Machete and Miss Netherlands Rikkie Kolle.
In July, MUS also announced that the competition will be open to Singapore citizens who are married, divorced, and have children. There is also no upper age limit though applicants need to be at least 18 years old.
Though details for the finals are yet to be revealed, the 73rd Miss Universe pageant is set to happen on November 16, 2024, at the Arena CDMX in Mexico.
Photos: qatrisha_zairyah/IG