- BPO Queen Pageant to be the first nationwide pageant for the LGBT Community
- Stephanie Cabahug, a 30-year-old trans woman and a call center agent from Cebu brought home the crown
- Cabahug confidently answered the questions given to her
BPO Queen is the first nationwide pageant that pays tribute to the gay and transsexual members of the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry. The BPO Queen pageant serves as a platform for them to showcase their talents, views and other abilities. It also promotes diversity, inclusion and equality which must be pushed to the minds and consciousness of the community or to the general public.
Last May 29th, the 1st BPO Queen Coronation Night was held at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Stephie Cabahug, a 30-year-old trans woman and a call center agent from Mandaue City, Cebu, brought home the crown that night. She is a proud purveyor of the LGBTQ movement. She joined the first-ever BPO Queen pageant to show the world riddled with “cruelty and anger” that a trans woman can be a force for good in society.
She won the crown, thanks to her confident answers. Cabahug explained the key difference between confidence and arrogance. She also argued that Filipinos, known to be predominantly Catholic, are not ready to see gay men marry, explaining that her solution for a more tolerant nation is to educate the youth.
“We must start young,” she said when asked about her thoughts on same-sex marriage. “We must plant the seeds of knowledge so that in the future we [the gay community] may be able to express who we are and what we are — accepted and respected for who we truly are.”
More than 15 companies from the country’s BPO sector sent representatives. With a theme advocating “diversity, equality, inclusion,” the BPO Queen pageant is an attempt to help boost the industry’s image as accepting towards members of the LGBTQ, organizers said.
“Sila kasi iyong isa sa mga key opinion leaders when it comes to the BPO industry,” producer Yuri Mercado claimed. “Kasi sila iyong nagbibigay buhay at saya.”
The structure was no different from the standard pageants. There were the usual swimsuit and evening gown rounds that helped trim the field, before proceeding with the Q&A portion. Cabahug was asked about what made her stand out among the other candidates, and she replied: “I am a person for others. My love for others is greater than my love for myself.”
“That is the reason why I joined beauty pageants, because I want to inspire others. Because in this world full of cruelty and anger, I want to spread love and kindness. …I believe that what you do to yourself will die with you. But what you do to others will remain and remain eternal.”
