OPINION | This article contains the author's opinion.
Monroe Lace made history by becoming the first biological male to win the Miss San Francisco beauty queen pageant.
Competitors spend years training and participating in the pageants in order to qualify. Lace became the first transgender woman to be crowned in the competition’s 99-year history.
25-year-old Lace said a major goal is to be a role model for young children.
The Bay Area has crowned its new Miss San Francisco, Monroe Lace. The first transgender woman to earn this title in the organization’s 99-year history. pic.twitter.com/ZGsMS6ToUE
— BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) March 28, 2023
“Every time I put on the sash, the weight of it reminds me of the weight of my job; of the responsibility I have to make a difference for young children,” Lace said.
Since the age of 12, Lace says winning the competition has been a “deam.”
Appearing on CBS News, Lace is working to have an impact on the community.
CBS showed Lace reading a book titled “Sparkle Boy” to a 4th-grade class. The book depicts a young boy who wants to wear women’s clothing.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Monroe Lace, the first trans woman to be crowned Miss San Francisco. Her story and advocacy for survivors of sexual violence are inspiring. Monroe, I’m rooting for you to be Miss California and can’t wait to see you shine 🌟 pic.twitter.com/I7RppRgN7z
— Rafael Mandelman (@RafaelMandelman) May 31, 2023
“When Lace won Miss San Francisco as part of the Miss California pageant in March 2023, she became the second-ever trans winner of any local Miss America pageant,” the report said.
Brían Nguyen became the first transgender women to be crowned in the U.S. after winning the Miss Greater Derry contest in New Hampshire in 2023.
“While many beauty pageants explicitly ban trans entrants, the official Miss America and its local event have never done so,” the report added.
“The requirements merely state that the contestant must be marked as female on their birth certificate. The laws in California meant that Monroe Lace had been able to get her certificate corrected, but this is obviously still a hurdle in certain states.”
“Monroe Lace’s win and public presence come at an important time in the national conversation,” the report continued.
“The ability for trans kids across the nation to see Lace living her life as Miss San Francisco is already a great step, but Lace isn’t stopping there,” the report concluded.