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.
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“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.”
