Kellie Maloney to judge transgender beauty pageant
Kellie Maloney is set to judge for a transgender beauty pageant, Miss Transgender UK.
The former UKIP candidate and boxing promoter came out as transgender last year – and has publicly spoken about her transition, as well as appearing on Celebrity Big Brother.
It was confirmed today that she would serve as a judge for the final of the Miss Transgender UK pageant, which is set to take place in September.
Appearing on the Victoria Derbyshire Show, Maloney said: “It gives you confidence… and it takes a lot of nerve.
“Pageants are old-fashioned, but they still exist, and they are part of entertainment.”
She added: “This is not all about beauty – it’s also about what the winner can do for the community. It’s not just about who’s the most glamorous… we’ve got girls who are 55 entering.
“It’s about how they can promote the transgender community.”
Watch the full interview below:
Ms Maloney has recently backed away from the UK Independence Party – warning they could become a “party of cavemen” on LGBT rights.
UKIP’s main manifesto did not mention LGBT people at all, but a secondary Christian manifesto – that the party neglected to release to the press – pledged to create a “conscience” loophole to weaken equality laws.
The former UKIP candidate said earlier this month: “I must admit I changed my views on UKIP when Farage brought that stupid policy [in] his Christian manifesto, which gave people the rights if they didn’t want to serve gay couples or they didn’t want to marry same sex couples, and I think that was dividing people.
“At the end of the day, we are all human beings and we all have to respect each other and get on with our lives I think.”
She previously said that Farage had made jokes at her expense, the first time they met following her transition.
Speaking of her rift with the party, she said: “It started when I met Nigel Farage.
“It was a cordial meeting where he made a couple of jokes about my transition but I made allowance, and I said all I want him and his party to do is understand and show sympathy to the LGBT community.”
