After two years of secretly being in a relationship, Miss Argentina and Miss Puerto Rico have tied the knot.
Miss Argentina, Fabiola Valentin, won her title in 2019, and Miss Puerto Rico, Mariana Varela, won hers in 2020. Valentin and Varela met at a Miss Grand International in 2020, an international beauty pageant not unlike Miss Universe.
These two former
Miss Universe winners have foreshadowed their secret relationship through appearances on each other’s Instagram pages. Valentin posted a couple of selfies captioned, “A summer with you,” and Varela posted pictures of the two of them in
matching dresses. Their reels haven’t been clear of hints either, as in a reel posted in January, Valentin wrote, “Life brought us together again! It was a long wait, but the great moments we get to create will always be greater. How sad it is to have (to) see you later again, but how blessed I am to have a being in my life like you.”
The announcement came in the form of a montage on Instagram, consisting of moments in their relationship, ending with a few moments of their engagement.
The caption of the post reads, “After deciding to keep our relationship private, we opened the doors to them on a special day. 28/10/22 ❤️????✨”
While they are not free from controversy, beauty pageants are an excellent place for the exploration of gender expression and sexuality. The hyper-femininity of a beauty pageant, along with the questions and special talents they showcased, can create an affirming environment for some. Recently, Miss Universe was bought by one of the richest trans women in the world,
Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, who is certain to be a much better owner than the previous, Donald Trump.
Miss Argentina and Miss Puerto Rico, congratulations on your wedding, and we wish you the best!
Photo courtesy of Fabiola Valentin’s Instagram 
By Pen Watkins
