Miss Universe stands up for LGBT rights

With the recent kerfuffle over the views that Miss USA contestants had about teaching evolution (only 2 supported the idea of teaching, you know, science in our science classrooms), it is refreshing to see a more enlightened beauty pageant title holder.

Members of the LGBT community are often victims of discrimination and abuse (often by religious people).  PASMO/Panama is a group that focuses on

sexual health with an emphasis on preventing HIV and sexually transmitted infections, improving the availability of and access to products that promote health, and promoting healthy behaviors through the tools of social marketing.

Miss Universe, Ximena Navarrete (Mexico) is an ambassador for PASMO.  In this capacity she recently visited Guatamala, where she met with transgendered women who have been the victims of abuse and discrimination.

Miss Navarrete is also apparently an active supporter of marriage equality.  After receiving her crown, she said in an interview:

“I don’t believe it’s just to discriminate against someone based on the gender they prefer, no? Based on the partner they choose to select, if it’s a man or a woman. The truth is that I am absolutely against discrimination and, well, what can I say? I have many friends who are gay and I adore them … There is no reason why we shouldn’t let them enjoy what they want to enjoy with their partner.

She gets it, which makes her smarter than most republicans.

Posted by GLAAD (the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination) on July 11 2010.