In 2021, Kataluna Enriquez was the first transgender woman to compete in a USA pageant. Now, Bella Bautista will become the first openly transgender woman to compete for the Miss Georgia USA title.
Bautista is from Cartersville, GA, and according to NBC affiliate WAFF48, is currently Miss Buckhead USA but is dreaming bigger.
“I was like, this could honestly be a true reality for me. This dream could one day come true. And just because there hasn’t been a first in Georgia, I could be that first,” Bautista said.
Bautista says that the journey has not been easy for the public to accept, especially on social media.
“It had over a thousand comments in less than 30 minutes of people saying that I shouldn’t be in this world, that I’m just a man, that I’m mentally ill, that I don’t belong in this pageant,” Bautista said.
When the Georgia legislature voted to move forward in barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports, Bautista, a cheerleader, spoke out.
“It’s heartbreaking to know that the elected officials are stripping away my civil rights and opportunity for happiness because being a cheerleader makes me happy,” she said.
WAFF48 says Bautista is not focused on the negativity she has received. She is spending her time preparing speeches and walks for the competition.
“I’m just going to sign up. I’m going to wish for the best and hopefully, that I am treated fairly and scored fairly as well,” she said.
The competition will begin on June 12, 2025.
