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If Bautista takes home the title, she will make history again as the first Mexican American woman to be crowned Miss Georgia USA. But the Miss Georgia USA stage will likely be different than that of Miss International Queen USA. The president of Greenwood Productions, the company behind Miss Georgia USA, is married to Lee Greenwood, who performed his song “God Bless the USA” at President Donald Trump’s inauguration concert. And with the lack of precedence that comes with Bautista’s history-making accomplishment, it remains to be seen how a trans contestant will be treated by the judges and fellow competitors.
“I’m going into a space where I’m not sure how the treatment or reaction is going to be, but all I can hope for and pray for is that I’m treated equally and I’m scored fairly,” Bautista said.
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“I really feel like pageantry gives women a reason to use their voice and their titles to speak about a cause they care about,” she said. “For me, that’s trans topics, especially right now with what’s happening in this country. I believe that it’s important for me to be able to use my voice to not only inspire change for myself, but to inspire change for all people.”
Until she takes the stage this summer, Bautista will use the next five months to prepare for the pageant and continue her advocacy efforts.
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Miss Georgia USA 2025 will take place June 12-14 in McDonough, GA. The winner of the title will move on to represent Georgia in the Miss USA pageant.
* Original Article:
Bella Bautista makes history as first trans contestant in Miss Georgia USA