It's bad enough that biological men want to compete in women's sports, but now it looks like they're aiming for women's pageants, too. In 2023, men from Portugal and the Netherlands were contestants in the Miss Universe pageant, and in June of last year, a biological male became Miss Maryland and later competed in the Miss USA pageant. And now, it's happening in my home state of Georgia.
Bella Bautista from Cartersville, Ga., is a biological man who is now, apparently, "Miss Buckhead" (Buckhead is a popular residential and commercial district in Atlanta) and plans to compete in the Miss Georgia pageant. When I saw this headline, my obvious issue was, of course, that here we go again with men attempting to take something away from women.
But then I visited Bautista's Instagram page and noted that this person has a big agenda. The bio reads, "Civil Rights Activist. Collegiate Athlete. Econ. Major Using Archives To Restore Trans History." Dig a little deeper, and you'll find that this person's life is largely dedicated to disrupting the lives of others in favor of "trans rights."
Bautista, who is a college cheerleader, testified at the Georgia state capitol earlier this year against a law that would prevent "trans" men from participating in women's sports. "It’s heartbreaking to know that the elected officials that are stripping away my civil rights and opportunity for happiness because being a cheerleader makes me happy," he says. (Side note: If making a sports team was a "civil right," I'd actually have made my high school basketball team even though I'm slow as molasses. I mean, that would have made me happy, but the coaches felt otherwise.)
Recently, he competed in the Miss International Queen USA pageant, which is a "trans" pageant for men who believe they are women and apparently got the bug to go after a title meant for biological women as well. Not only is every single social media post he's made or interview he's given focused on how he plans to bring his agenda to the pageant and elsewhere, but he's also asking people to fund this little social experiment.
On Bautista's Instagram page — a page filled with photos from his international travels — there's a link to a GoFundMe with a goal of $2,400 to "Support Bella Bautista's Historic Journey." The page reads:
Hi everyone! My name is Bella Bautista, and I’m honored to be making history as the first transgender contestant in the Miss Georgia USA pageant. This journey is about more than just a crown—it’s about representation, breaking barriers, and proving that beauty, strength, and authenticity belong to everyone.
Competing at this level comes with significant costs, including entry fees, wardrobe, travel, and more. I’m reaching out to my community for support to help me bring my best self to the stage. Your contribution will not only help fund my journey but will also support my mission of visibility, inclusion, and empowerment for all.
If you believe in diversity, representation, and making history together, I’d be so grateful for your support—every dollar, share, and word of encouragement makes a difference. Thank you for believing in me!
Despite this agenda, however, he claims he just wants to be "treated equally and scored fairly." But let's face it, all you need is one "ally" judge on the panel, and that's not going to happen.
The Miss Georgia USA pageant takes place in June, and the winner will go on to compete in the Miss USA pageant. It's worth noting that Kimberly Payne, wife of Lee Greenwood, and Greenwood Productions are behind the Miss USA pageant.
Look, I couldn't care less about pageants. That is not my thing at all, and it's easy to mock them as unimportant or silly. But I have known women who were very into it, and they worked hard behind the scenes, sometimes for most of their lives, to compete and win, and it often elevated their lives in some way. Imagine putting in all of the effort only to have a dude with an agenda come and beat you or, worse, prevent you from entering the competition completely.
On top of that, this particular person comes across as self-centered and entitled, and I think that's a problem a lot of people have with the so-called "trans" community — even some people who technically fall within that community or under the LGTBetc umbrella. Some people, including many in my circle of family and friends, just want to live their lives quietly the way they want to and not make a big stink about it, and people like this who crave fame and attention just make that much harder on them.
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