A Filipino woman that was disowned by her own family when she came out as a transgender has made history after she won something no other transgender has ever won.
Arielle Keil made history after she was crowned as Miss Intercontinental New Zealand 2020.
Keil was born in a traditional Filipino family in Davao City before they moved to New Zealand, where she grew up.
In 2017, Keil started to transition.
However, things were difficult for her as she was not getting the support that she needed from her own family.
During an interview with the Metro, a news agency, Keil said:
Coming out as a gay man was nowhere near as terrifying as coming out as a transgender woman. Your whole life changes and so does the way people will see you forever. I knew that being openly transgender meant that a lot of the world is going to think I’m some sick freak of nature but I always think of this when making decisions – when I’m 70 and on my deathbed, is this something I’m going to regret doing or not doing? The answer was crystal clear. I’d already spent the formative years of my life as the wrong gender, I didn’t want to waste my twenties in the wrong body either. This way of thinking really helped me come out to my parents because I knew that whatever their reaction was, this was something I needed to do for myself.
The road to victory was not good for Keil.
At first, the family of Keil kicked her out when she told that she was transgender.
After some time, they started to accept her and now, her father accepts her and calls her his daughter.
Arielle made history after she became the first-ever transgender and Filipino woman to win Miss Intercontinental New Zealand.
Talking about the pageant, Keil said:
The pageant was an amazing experience. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for the longest time so to actually live out my dream has been amazing. I would say to any Filipinos going on a similar journey to stay true to themselves always. Don’t ever let people’s opinions dilute your soul as a person. You only have one life, live it on your terms!
Such a great win!
What are your thoughts on the win of Keil? Let us know what you think about her win by leaving a comment in the comments section below!