It's been a great year for pageants with Black women taking home the crown for Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America. However, Jazell Barbie Royale wanted to remind everyone that there's another Black pageant winner this year.
In March, Royale became the first Black woman to win Miss International Queen, a competition for transgender and transsexual pageant contestants that started in 2004.
The queen put up a post on Instagram in May asking to be included in the fanfare around all of the Black women praised for winning beauty competitions.
Royale's win was a first for the competition, beating 19 other women to win the crown. She also won the competition's best talent prize.
The Florida native explained how her life has changed since winning the competition.
"These past two months have brought me to many honors with a proclamation from the city of Orlando and it’s Mayor with my own April 11th Jazell Barbie Royale Day, to meeting so many new faces and experiencing many different cultures that has exposed me to a whole new world," she said.
"Who would have thought for so many who dream for a moment like this and I have been blessed to live my dream and serve not only my country but the entire world as Miss International Queen 2019. The last two months have been a whirlwind new beginnings with my partner. I now have a stronger passion to educate the world about prep/pep std, HIV and how it can be prevented and treated. This year you will see me everywhere I hope to touch and inspire somewhere I go," she added.
Royale spent years as an entertainer at the Orlando nightclub Parliament House while also serving as a community liaison for Bliss Healthcare Services according to The Orlando Sentinel. As winner of the pageant, Royale received $14,500 and dozens of gifts from event sponsors and an apartment at Woodlands Resort Pattaya until the next competition.
