According to a recent statement made by a Miss Italy representative, contestants must have been given the gender of a woman at birth. This announcement was made following Rikkie Kollé’s historic victory as the first transgender woman to be elected Miss Netherlands.
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According to the Italian publication Il Primato Nazionale, Patrizia Mirigliani, the official patron of Miss Italy, stated her displeasure with the inclusion of transgender participants in beauty pageants, calling it “a bit absurd.”
Who is Patrizia Mirigliani?
Patrizia Mirigliani is 65 years old. She is the daughter of Enzo Mirigliani, who served as Miss Italy’s first sponsor. She started aiding her father in arranging the beauty pageant in 1989, and starting in 2010, she took over as the sole organizer. She oversaw the event’s artistic design from 1997 until 2007, after which the hosts of the television broadcast took over in 2008.
Additionally, from 1990 to 2012, Patrizia Mirigliani was instrumental in planning the parallel competition known as “Miss Italy in the World.”
Patrizia Mirigliani made important modifications to the competition throughout her time there. Notably, in 2011, she promoted body diversity in the pageant by encouraging females with “size 44” and, in some circumstances, “size 46” to participate. This choice was made in response to the tragic anorexia-related death of French model Isabelle Caro in November of the previous year.
The Miss Italia Channel, a television feature on the competition’s website, was created by Patrizia Mirigliani in 2009. The following year, she came up with the concept for “My Fair Miss,” which followed the eventual winner’s journey and preparation for Miss Italy for the full year.
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Patrizia Mirigliani significantly altered how the contestants were perceived in 2012. Although they had been using bikinis for a while, she made the decision to bring back one-piece swimsuits in the manner of the 1950s to offer a more shielded and subdued attractiveness. This decision generated controversy and captured attention not only within Italy but also beyond its borders.
