I was born in the Philippines, a country where pageantry was seen as an Olympic sport. It was mesmerizing seeing the elegant dresses and how eloquently and poised the contestants answered questions on stage. I have always dreamed of competing in a pageant like Miss Universe.
One roadblock is that I was born male.
I was the youngest of four in a religious and traditional family. Growing up and realizing that I was different from other kids my age, I hid my attraction to the same sex from my family. I felt like I was living two distinct lives. I was Miley Stewart at home, and Hannah Montana at school. I wanted more for my life. That dream was answered when my dad told me that we are moving to the United States! I thought to myself, "I am about to move to a country where no one knows me! I could reinvent myself and be 'normal'!"
This did not last long. I was very feminine, and some people at school found out that I am gay. To my surprise, no one cared. No one laughed at me or bullied me. They knew who I was, and my coming out made sense.
Next step, I had to come out to my family. The thought of coming out and possibly being seen as a disappointment terrified me. I spent days debating whether I should go through with telling them. I spent hours watching "My Coming Out" videos on YouTube to encourage myself to tell my family. I spent nights crying myself to sleep, debating if I should go back to being Miley Stewart at home.
At first, I told my siblings, and they were accepting and highly supportive. Now I have to tell my parents. I wasn't sure how to approach it. People in those videos suggest doing it either while in the car with them or in a public space, just in case. So many thoughts started running through my mind until one night, I decided to go out to the living room and tell my mom. She told me that it was just a phase. We ended up crying that night, but I was happy I got to tell my mom. My talk with my dad was significantly less emotional.
As I went through my teens and early 20s, the puzzle pieces were finally starting to fit. I didn't have to live two different lives, and I could date whoever I wanted to! Everything was great until someone asked me if I would ever transition from male to female. I would always want to say yes, but I would pause and say "no" for fear of disappointing my family. This was the routine until, at 25, my then-best friend and I had an intense conversation about it. He told me that I "looked so happy, but something is still missing." At the end of the conversation, he told me to "live my truth and not people's expectations of it".
I started my transition journey in October 2020, when I was able to live my truth and finally become Jasmine Gabrielle Basanes. This gave me so much confidence that I entered a modeling competition in 2022 and won, later signing with Slay Model Management. In 2024, I competed in my first pageant, Miss International Queen USA, held in Las Vegas, and made it to the semifinals!
This refueled my love for pageantry, and I decided to apply for Miss Georgia USA.
This pageant is under the Miss Universe system.
After the rules were changed to be more inclusive, I became comfortable that I would be accepted. The pageant was held in Clarksville, Tennessee, as Miss Tennessee and Miss Georgia were being held simultaneously. At first, I was nervous because I did not know how the other delegates would react to seeing a trans woman on stage with them. Still, I was pleasantly surprised to see everyone be so supportive and accepting towards me. I say "pleasantly" because, being in the south, the relationship towards the transgender community is dynamic. Even with many people being supportive, some laws restrict trans rights, restrict gender affirming care, ban trans women from women's sports, and so on.
My platform was focused on the importance of mental health and self-care. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act towards others. How we treat others can profoundly impact their mental health, reminding us that we're part of their healing, struggles, and overall journey, not just our own. For my evening gown, I chose to wear a wedding dress. This is symbolic because I wanted to make a statement that trans women are women and we deserve happiness. Wedding dresses have been a symbol of femininity, and I know some individuals who are transitioning from male to female who dream of having that special day wearing a wedding dress.
I stood on that stage not just as a representation of the trans community and immigrants, but for every single person who has been told 'no' and ignored simply because they are considered 'different.'
I may not have won the crown, but I hope that any trans person seeing me on that stage can know that they are capable and deserving of taking up space in places that were not made for us. We all belong wherever we dream of being.
As my dad says, "As long as you are not hurting anyone, you are okay."
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This article originally appeared on Pride: Breaking barriers, how one contestant became the first trans delegate in Miss Georgia USA
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