CARACAS, VENEZUELA: Transgender model and Instagram influencer Sofia Salomon has applied to participate in the coveted Miss Venezuela contest. If her application is accepted, she will be the first transgender model to participate in the contest. Whenever the name of a global beauty pageant is mentioned, Venezuela comes to the very fore. The South American country is one of the top nations to have won in the Miss Universe and Miss World contests.

The 25-year-old model has filed for the application and has received a confirmation mail from the organizers mentioning that they have received her application. But they are yet to inform her whether she has been accepted for the beauty pageant and would be one of the 24 contestants. Asserting that participating in the Miss Universe pageant is not her ultimate dream, Salomon told USA Today, “I am participating in Miss Venezuela not because I want to go to the Miss Universe That’s not my dream. My dream is to be a beauty ambassador and to contribute many things to my community that I know here in Venezuela we need.”

Who is Sofia Salomon?

The Venezuela-born model, influencer, and entrepreneur was a participant in the 2021-22 edition of Miss International Queen, the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender women, and finished in the top six. Salomon also has Colombian nationality and takes up modeling assignments in Spain and Mexico.

Salomon is the founder and CEO of a clothing brand called Diva ByMe. Just after the pandemic, she founded the brand in 2021, which caters to women having varying tastes. In an interview published by The New York Finance, Salomon said, “Since I was a child I have liked fashion. I don’t just like to look good, but to help others feel comfortable when they see themselves in a mirror. That was how the idea of creating my own clothing brand was born. Diva byMe is a dream come true!”

The successful businesswoman’s venture is not limited just to a clothing brand as she also has a personalized video curating site where she makes customized messages for a fee of $280.

‘Whatever happens, I will remain a successful woman’

In a detailed interview with AFP published by France 24, Salomon shared her hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Acknowledging beauty pageants are an extremely important aspect of Venezuelan life, Salomon commented, "All eyes are on Miss Venezuela," before adding firmly, "Me being there would be making history."

While the other Latin American countries bask in the glory of their football, Venezuela prides itself in the country’s glorious history in beauty contests. "Like football is very important in other countries, here it is very important to be a beauty queen," Salomon said.

She continued to explain, "When a girl is growing up, if she is tall, skinny, everyone tells her that she should go to Miss Venezuela. So it is something we grow up with, it is a culture, it is a feeling."

However, when she was campaigning for the contest, she did not receive praise and good wishes only. In a conservative Venezuelan society, Salomon received messages of abuse that were homophobic. But that did not deter the determined woman as she concedes that she has a supportive family. Salomon said, "Ever since I can remember, I have always had the support of my dad, my mom and all my family," before adding, "I had an excellent childhood full of respect, of love, and so everything becomes easier because you can show society who you really are."

After achieving success in the Miss International, Salomon said there were “many messages on social networks" from fans who wanted her to "participate in another contest.” Salomon quipped, "Now that Miss Universe and Miss World accept transgender girls, this opportunity has opened for me to participate in Miss Venezuela."

While Salomoin stands the chance of becoming the first transgender Miss Venezuela, Spain’s Angela Ponce became the first transgender contestant in Miss Universe in 2018. While Salomon still doesn’t know what her fate would be in the contest, she is confident that she would be a successful woman as she said, "Whatever happens, I will remain a successful woman."