Mara La Torre

Last updated
Mara Orendain La Torre
Mara La Torre (cropped).jpg
Born1993 (age 31–32)
Manila, Philippines
EducationBachelor of Arts in English Literature
OccupationModel
Height5 ft 4 in (163 cm)

Mara Orendain La Torre (born 1993) is a Philippine fashion model. In 2021, she became the first transgender woman known to compete in the Miss Universe Philippines pageant.

Contents

She had previously gained media attention after filing charges due to being blocked from using the women's restroom at her workplace.

Early life

La Torre was born in 1993 in Manila, Philippines. She had sex reassignment surgery before her rise to prominence in 2014. [1]

Bathroom lawsuit

In 2014, La Torre worked as a call center agent at a business process outsourcing company. [2] That year, while working at Teleperformance, two security guards prevented her from using the women's restroom. [3] She filed a lawsuit against them which gained media coverage in outlets such as GMA News, ABS-CBN News, and The Philippine Star . [4] [2] [3] It was met with mixed reactions from the public. [5]

After La Torre shared her discrimination experience on national news, 30 LGBTQ groups signed a solidarity statement with her. [1] The case was reported in Fridae, The Windy City Times, and UPR Info. [6] [7] [8]

The Gender-Fair Ordinance was enacted in Quezon City in 2014 to prohibit discrimination specific to the LGBTQ community. [9]

Some universities in the Philippines installed third-gender bathrooms in 2014 such as St. Louis University in Baguio, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Ateneo de Davao. [10]

Since La Torre's case in 2014, other transgender women such as KaladKaren have shared their stories of being denied entry to clubs, bars, and other establishments. [11] [12]

Executive Director of EnGenderRights, Clara Rita Padilla who assisted La Torre with her lawsuit in 2014, cited the case in 2019 as the first success story, as it led to the building of the first all-gender restrooms in Quezon City even without national law. [5]

Miss Universe Philippines

Mara La Torre as she appeared in Vice News. Mara La Torre 2.jpg
Mara La Torre as she appeared in Vice News.

In 2021, La Torre entered the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. She was asked to submit a medical certificate to prove that she was female after suspicion from the judges about her gender identity. When she went to be assessed, the male doctor who examined her sexually abused her. She was able to obtain the needed medical certificate, but during her screening, she was disqualified due to a male gender marker on her passport. [13]

After the incident saw worldwide media attention, La Torre received hate messages and harassment. [13] This led IMG Worldwide to pull its support of Miss Universe. IMG Worldwide sold Miss Universe to Thai transgender billionaire, Anne Jakrajutatip. [14] Major donors removed their financial support, and Miss Universe filed for bankruptcy days before the pageant was set to occur. [15]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRole
2014 Failon Ngayon Featured Guest
2014 Wish Ko Lang: Social Experiment Featured Guest

References

  1. 1 2 Writer, Contributing (2 April 2014). "In defense of transgender rights in the workplace" . Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  2. 1 2 Star, By Reinir Padua, The Philippine (2014-03-27). "2 guards charged for gay discrimination". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2021-10-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. 1 2 Padua, Reinir. "2 guards charged for gay discrimination". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  4. ↑ Takumi, Rie (28 March 2014). "Transgender woman barred from ladies' room files discrimination charges". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  5. 1 2 TEAM, LIFESTYLE (20 August 2019). "After a transwoman was barred from using the female restroom, how do we move forward in a more inclusive manner?". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  6. ↑ "Transgender woman in Philippines sues to stop discrimination at work". www.fridae.asia. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  7. ↑ "Ben Cohen issues 50th grant; group seeks to ban 'Warmest Color' - Windy City Times News". Windy City Times. 2014-04-02. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  8. ↑ "Philippines Session 27 May 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION (SOGIE)". www.elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  10. ↑ Philippines, Esquire (28 March 2018). "Ateneo Isn't The First to Install Gender-Neutral Restrooms Towards Inclusivity". Esquiremag.ph. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  11. ↑ "Designer Veejay Floresca Denied Entry at BGC Clubs Twice". www.preview.ph. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "House to probe Makati bar for keeping out KaladKaren Davila". Rappler. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  13. 1 2 "A Pageant Welcomed Trans Women, Then Rejected An Applicant For Her Male Passport". Vice.com. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  14. ↑ "Thai transgender tycoon buys Miss Universe contest". 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2025-03-08.
  15. ↑ Choi, Christy (November 10, 2023). "Miss Universe owner files for bankruptcy days before pageant". CNN. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
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