Bella Bautista, a transgender woman, is set to take the stage at the Miss Georgia USA pageant in June.

Newsweek has reached out to Bautista and Miss Georgia USA via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Since beginning his second term, President Donald Trump has taken steps to unravel protections for transgender people.

On Inauguration Day, January 20, Trump signed an executive order titled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government.” The order mandated that his administration would use “clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male.” The federal government will also use the word “sex” instead of “gender” with all official documents, including passports, visas and Global Entry cards, “accurately reflecting the holder’s sex.”

Trump’s efforts come as transgender Americans have been the target of hundreds of Republican-backed bills, including for bathroom usage, sports participation by transgender athletes and restricting certain content in schools or libraries that refer to transgender identities.

What To Know

Bautista, 22, a former competitive cheer athlete and Miss Buckhead USA 2025, is set to become the first transgender contestant in Miss Georgia USA pageant on June 12.

In an interview with Georgia Voice, a publication dedicated to Georgia’s LGBTQ+ community, Bautista revealed that she initially doubted her chances of being accepted into the Miss Georgia USA pageant because of her transgender identity.

“I’m going into a space where I’m not sure how the treatment or reaction is going to be, but all I can hope for and pray for is that I’m treated equally and I’m scored fairly,” Bautista said.

Bautista’s presence at the competition comes as part of her broader commitment to advocacy as she has been a vocal opponent of legislation targeting transgender rights, notably testifying before the Georgia Senate Committee on Education and Youth against a bill aimed at banning transgender athletes from participating in school sports.

The Senate Education and Youth Committee held a hearing earlier this month in which supporters, primarily Republican lawmakers, argue that the bill titled “The Riley Gaines Act,” named for the former collegiate swimmer-turned-anti-trans activist, is essential to “ensure a level playing field for women.”

The hearing featured testimony from both sides of the issue. Five plaintiffs from a lawsuit led by Gaines against the NCAA spoke in favor of the legislation. Their arguments centered around Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer whose 2022 NCAA Championship win in Georgia has become a flashpoint in the debate.

Opponents of the measure, including Bautista and other transgender athletes and advocates, pushed back.

Bautista condemned the lawmakers, saying: “The people are well-paid, well-rehearsed and the only thing they could reference was Lia Thomas. These people have nothing to work on except fearmongering.

“They are harming one community to protect another community. This is about rights for all Americans and it’s unfair. As a trans athlete, this affects me and it’s time that they really open their eyes and see the world is bigger than they think.”

The committee approved the measure with a 9-3 vote, with every Republican and one Democrat backing it, sending it to the full Senate. The speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives announced earlier this month that the proposed “The Riley Gaines Act” will be introduced in the current session of the Legislature.

Bautista is not the first transgender woman to compete in a well-known pageant.

In 2021, Kataluna Enriquez made headlines as the first openly transgender contestant in Miss USA after securing the Miss Nevada USA crown. Angela Ponce similarly made history in 2018 as the first transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. More recently, Bailey Anne Kennedy became the first Asian American transgender woman to claim the Miss Maryland USA title in 2024.

Trump’s Transgender Executive Order

The Miss Georgia USA competition is overseen by the Greenwood Productions organization, led by the wife of country singer Lee Greenwood—best known for his patriotic anthem “God Bless the USA.” Greenwood’s wife, Kimberly Payne, is a former Miss Tennessee USA.

Greenwood, a notable Trump supporter, performed at Trump’s inauguration and later received a presidential appointment to the Kennedy Center board.

This comes as Trump has taken steps to unravel protections for transgender people with executive orders including banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. The order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” directs federal agencies to enforce Title IX—a landmark civil rights law protecting against sex-based discrimination in education—under an interpretation that defines sex strictly by biological assignment at birth.

The directive grants federal agencies broad authority to penalize schools and athletic organizations that do not comply. The order also calls on state attorneys general to establish enforcement measures and legal strategies to uphold the new mandate.

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump, during his inaugural speech: “This week, I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based. As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, in a statement: “The incoming administration is trying to divide our communities in the hope that we forget what makes us strong. But we refuse to back down or be intimidated. We are not going anywhere. And we will fight back against these harmful provisions with everything we’ve got.”

Representative Nancy Mace, in a previous statement to Newsweek: “For too long, the Left has sacrificed women’s rights on the altar of woke politics. Women’s sports exist for a reason—because biological differences matter. No amount of activism, corporate pressure, or lies can erase reality—men are biologically different from women.

“This executive order restores fairness, upholds Title IX’s original intent, and defends the rights of female athletes who have worked their whole lives to compete at the highest levels.”

What Happens Next

The Miss Georgia USA pageant begins June 12.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s policies regarding transgender rights, which have been a flashpoint of controversy throughout his presidency, are expected to spark legal battles and deepen national divisions over gender.