With sharp eyes and firm steps, Tiffany Queen knows how to strike a pose. Recently, she represented Taiwan in the world’s largest transgender beauty pageant, Miss International Queen in Thailand. It’s her first international contest, where she took the spotlight with her hand-made costume. She was inspired by a traditional Taiwanese temple deity, a guardian who drives away evil spirits.

I’ve always had a bit of a rebellious, hero-like personality. The moment I put it on, it felt like I was possessed by the deity. When I watched the footage back, I was shocked. That was really me. Wearing that outfit might also help me clear some roadblocks on the path toward my dream.

As a drag performer with a decade of experience, she’s no stranger to the limelight and cameras, but she said being in a beauty pageant brought new challenges, including looking perfect at all times. In the past half year, she devoted all her time to trying different makeup and learning how to walk in pageant style. Although the crown slipped through her fingers, she said it was still a rewarding experience that also made her childhood dream come true.

I watched a lot of pageant videos to learn the way they speak, their expressions, and how they look at the camera. I was very moved. Honestly, I’m proud of myself for representing Taiwan in the competition. I never thought a simple wish I shared with my friend as a kid, that I really wanted to perform at the Tiffany Show and get on that stage, and now I’ve really done it.

Tiffany was among 23 transgender women competing in the global event. She said she’s learned different facets of being a woman from her counterparts from around the world, and it’s got her to reflect and accept her qualities better. And while changing her body and appearance has helped her career grow, she says she’s always been confidently herself from a young age.

I never told my family I wanted to be a girl. Since I was little, I always loved playing with girls. I think my family probably noticed it, but they never talked about it. Of course, I’ve gotten weird looks from others. That’s just part of the journey. It all comes down to how you face these things. I’ve always been strong and courageous, and I stay true to myself. That’s just how I’ve been since I was a kid.

While there was still pressure to win, dozens of her supporters from Taiwan and Hong Kong traveled all the way to Pattaya to celebrate Tiffany achieving her dream, together with her makeup artist and hair stylist.

This competition felt like a milestone for the three of us. We entered and competed together as a team. Actually, on the day of the finale, her supporters were also cheering for me and the hairstylist. They were also shouting our names. It truly made me feel that we are one team. It was incredibly touching, especially since we were far from home.

With the annual Pride Parade in Taipei coming up, Tiffany will get back on stage soon to speak up for her community and continue to pave the way for more Taiwanese queens on their way to the international stage.