Contestants prepare backstage during the Angel of Turkey transgender/transsexual beauty pageant in Istanbul, Turkey, late May 26, 2016. (Photo by Murad Sezer/Reuters)

Valerie Hernandez Matias representing Puerto Rico poses in a swimsuit during the 54th Miss International beauty pageant in Tokyo November 11, 2014. Matias won the Miss International title. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)

Miss Universe contestant Desire Cordero, of Spain, poses for a photo after a news conference for contestants from Latin America and Spain, Monday, January 12, 2015, in Doral, Fla. The Miss Universe pageant will be held on January 25, in Miami. (Photo by Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)

Rio Takahashi of Japan gets ready for the final show of the Miss International Queen 2020 transgender beauty pageant in Pattaya, Thailand on March 7, 2020. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)

A model walks the runway at the Costume National Autumn Winter 2012 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week on March 4, 2012 in Paris, France. (Photo by Nathalie Lagneau/Catwalking/Getty Images)

Xiren Wang, Lili Wat, and Sitong Chen join the pageant’s opening routine, dancing to “The Boys”, a song by K-Pop group «Girls’ Generation». While the women come from a range of professional backgrounds – including economics, nursing, and acting – every contestant is looking for her big break into the entertainment industry. Most contestants said they would prefer to have a career in the U.S. but would go wherever the opportunity lies. (Photo and caption by John Brecher/Sahra Vang Nguyen/NBC News)

Arab Israeli contestant Tallinn Abu Hana poses for the judges during auditions for the first Miss Trans Israel beauty pageant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, March 3, 2016. The winner will represent Israel at a Miss Trans Star International pageant to be held in Spain in August. Tel Aviv has emerged as one of the world's most gay-friendly travel destinations, standing in sharp contrast to most of the rest of the Middle East, where gays can face persecution. (Photo by Ariel Schalit/AP Photo)

Miss Nigeria, Maristella Okpala, appears on stage during the national costume presentation of the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel's southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on December 10, 2021. (Photo by Menahem Kahana/AFP Photo)