Miss Equality World 2026 in Bangkok: 17 trans women, 17 countries and a contest to advance equality

WishPride is on holiday in Thailand. And it was completely by chance, while visiting Wat Arun in Bangkok, that we came across the candidates for Miss Equality World 2026, an international contest bringing together trans women representing their countries. France, the United States, Laos, Singapore, Thailand… In front of the famous temple, the candidates pose in traditional Thai outfits, their countries displayed on their sashes. Naturally, we went over. And in talking with Karla Michelle, representative of La Réunion (France), we quickly understood that behind the dresses, the photos and the beauty pageant, the message being claimed is much broader: visibility for trans women, equality and the fight against discrimination. That is exactly what caught our attention. You can like beauty pageants or not. You can even wonder whether they are still necessary. But when some people still have to defend their identity simply to be accepted, being visible can also become a way to change perceptions. And naturally, at WishPride, that resonates with us. Our social network was created precisely to build a space where women, men, LGBT+ people, couples, creators and the curious can speak freely about their identity, their relationships, their intimacy and their desires without having to fit into a box. Minorities do not need to be given a place. They already have one. The real question may be elsewhere: why do they still so often have to justify it? And you, do you think events like Miss Equality World truly help change attitudes? #missequalityworld #transvisibility #transrights #lgbtq