Two of the top 20 candidates set to compete in the Miss Germany semi-finals are biological men who identify as “women.”
Miss Germany is the country’s national pageant, which has been held annually since 1927. While it was traditionally a conventional beauty pageant, the competition was revamped a two years ago to shift focus from women’s appearance to their characters and achievements.
In the FAQ, the Miss Germany official website asserts that it considers itself a “feminist” competition, and that it strongly supports social justice-related movements.
“The work of Miss Germany Studios is based on critical analyses of gender, equality and self-determination. We actively fight sexism and support the mission of all women and marginalized groups,” it reads in response to the question “are we feminists?”
Under the new pageant spirit, Miss Germany states its goal is to “empower authentic women.”
But earlier this month, Miss Germany announced the top 20 candidates who will be moving on to the semi-finals to be held at the beginning of February.
Of them, two are male.
Laurén Kaczmarczyk, 22, and Saskia von Bargen, 18, have advanced into the semi-finals of the national pageant, both of whom are representing the state of Lower Saxony.
The Top 20 candidates are all profiled on the official Miss Germany site and Instagram, which advertises that “the title [of] MISS GERMANY is an award for future makers, dreamers and visionaries.” Among the female candidates, whose “missions” can all be read alongside their portraits, are Kaczmarczyk and von Bargen.
Kaczmarczyk has had multiple posts dedicated to profiling him on the Miss Germany Instagram, one of which prominently features a photo of the progress pride flag.
“I stand primarily as a woman in this contest who is tired of being categorized as a marginalized minority and reduced to their gender,” Kaczmarczyk says. “Once people experience my trans-identity, they focus on that aspect and see me as ‘special’ which empowers them to ask us trans people inappropriate intimate and personal questions.”
Despite identifying himself as transgender repeatedly, Kaczmarczyk has said that his mission for participating in Miss Germany is because “I want to be considered as a woman and not a trans woman.”
Another trans-identified male contestant selected for the semi-finals is Saskia von Bargen, who has ostensibly been transitioning since a young age. Von Bergen writes that he believes “non-biological women are women” in his Miss Germany mission statement.
“I’m Saskia, [I am] 18 years old and trans woman. First and foremost, I want to show people, especially trans people, that a non-biological woman is also a woman. A woman does not identify herself by gender or appearance, be it feminine or masculine. Every woman and every man should feel comfortable in his body and if that is not the case: have no inhibitions or fears! There should be no consideration for how other people take it, because only you should feel comfortable and happy.”
In contrast, the female contestants in the pageant have shared vastly different mission statements.
Vanessa Didam, a 30-year-old chimney sweep, stated her goal for participating in Miss Germany was to strengthen the role of women in society and the workforce. She shares that upon beginning her career, she “quickly noticed how much headwind, prejudices and seemingly insurmountable obstacles one encounters as a woman in a male-dominated working world and in society.”
Another candidate, Tania Moser, said her goal was to encourage women to demand better conditions in all areas of life. Moser, a CEO of a pet supply startup, is also a new mother.
“I became a mother in January [of 2022] and I have NOT given up my career,” she says. “We’re a lot further along today than we were a generation ago, but unfortunately there’s still inequality. WE [women] have to demand more: from employers, our families, our partners, politicians and, last but not least, society.”
The participation of two men in the Miss Germany pageant is just the latest instance in the recent trend of the inclusion of men in women’s competitions, sports, and award ceremonies.
In December, a professional gamer Alessandro Ribeiro was awarded a top female gamer award by League of Legends Sports Brazil despite being a biological male. Soon after, Ribeiro stepped down from his esports association following allegations that he had been sexually predatory towards a minor.
The BBC was also under fire last month after honoring two trans-identified males on their list of 2022’s most “inspiring and influential women.” One of the selectees, Erika Hilton, is a transgender politician in Brazil currently seeking to have a women’s rights advocate imprisoned for misgendering him.
In November, trans-identified male Brian Nguyen made international headlines after being awarded the crown in the Miss Greater Derry pageant in New Hampshire. The competition was a locally-run event under the national Miss America series of pageants. In addition to winning the crown, Nguyen received the Miss Greater Derry Scholarship, a financial award established to support young women in their academic careers.
The month prior, Thai transgender beauty mogul Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip purchased the Miss Universe competition for $20 million. In the announcement, made by Jakrajutatip’s company, JKN Global Group, it was claimed the move marked the first time the historic pageant was “owned by a woman.”
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