When Miss International Queen – USA (MIQ-USA) arrives in Atlantic City on March 26–27, 2026, it won’t just be another glittering weekend on the boardwalk. It will be a two-day showcase of transgender excellence. It’s not just a pageant, it’s community convening, and a statement of visibility during a time when many trans people feel increasingly scrutinized and sidelined.
For Giovanni “Gio” Mack, the pageant’s director of operations, the mission is as practical as it is personal. “I’m the man that does everything,” he says with a laugh. His work spans the details audiences never think about. He will handle everything from contestant logistics to schedules, ensuring everyone is supported. The only realm he doesn’t control? The staging itself, led by Assistant Pageant Director Aubrey Gabaldi, who orchestrates what happens under the lights. That division of labor mirrors the pageant’s dual nature. MIQ-USA is built to be dazzling, yes. It is also deeply intentional.
A U.S. gateway to the world’s most prestigious trans pageant
MIQ-USA is the American preliminary competition connected to Miss International Queen, a long-running international pageant that began in Thailand. It is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious platforms for transgender women globally.
Mack describes MIQ as a world stage where some countries appoint a representative, while others — like the U.S. — run a formal preliminary to select a competitor. In the American context, that structure has special significance. It formalizes a pathway that previously relied on individual contestants navigating the system largely on their own.
The pageant’s growing momentum is perhaps best illustrated by Midori Monét, the reigning MIQ-USA titleholder, who went on to win Miss International Queen 2025 in Thailand. That historic achievement made her only the third U.S. contestant to claim the international crown. She will appear in Atlantic City and crown her successor during finals.
For organizers, it’s a moment that signals legitimacy and possibility at once. The U.S. isn’t merely participating in the international tradition, it’s helping shape it.
Atlantic City, a natural home for pageantry
After a debut in Las Vegas, MIQ-USA now makes Atlantic City its home, leaning into the city’s legacy as an American pageant capital. Mack calls it a “pageant town,” a place where audiences understand the language of sashes, gowns, talent, and high-stakes finals.
This year’s events will take place at Harrah’s Atlantic City, beginning Thursday, March 26, with a press conference and a public Sashing Ceremony. That is the moment Mack says hits him emotionally every time. It won’t be televised, but it is the moment when the whole journey becomes real. Contestants receive their sashes with their names, and the competition officially begins.
From there, the glamour ramps up quickly. Preliminary Night starts at 7 p.m. on March 26 at The Concert Venue at Harrah’s, featuring state costume and talent competitions. That is hosted by former titleholders Jazell Barbie Royale and Mimi Marks.
On Friday, March 27, the pageant expands beyond the stage with workshops led by the BTTC Fund. These workshops focus on empowerment, leadership, and community engagement, underscoring that MIQ-USA is designed to develop public figures, not just crown winners.
That evening, at 7 p.m., the spotlight returns for the Finals. There are swimsuit and evening gown competitions, plus on-stage questions meant to highlight “poise, intelligence, and charisma.”
one of MIQ-USA’s defining goals is shifting how audiences think about what a “trans pageant” means. “I want them to leave feeling like there’s no difference.”
To Mack, one of MIQ-USA’s defining goals is shifting how audiences think about what a “trans pageant” means. “I want them to leave feeling like there’s no difference,” he says of first-time attendees. “They happen to be trans, but this was a great pageant. I don’t want the trans to be what starts the conversation.”
That philosophy runs through the way MIQ-USA approaches participation. This year will feature 30 contestants, selected through an application and eligibility process (including the ability to travel internationally). Rather than forcing contestants into rigid geographic boxes, contestants represent their names rather than cities. This focuses attention on identity, story, and presence instead of pageant-system politics.
And unlike stereotypes of cutthroat backstage rivalries, Mack describes MIQ-USA as unusually supportive. The team hosts monthly classes with contestants to answer questions and prepare them, creating what he calls a “little family.” He’s the “tough love” voice in the room, he says, but the foundation is care. The goal is to help contestants grow into their confidence, refine their platform work, and learn how to show up fully as themselves.
Those transformations are what keep him invested. He speaks of contestants who arrive unsure how to start advocacy work and later lead organizations they once only dreamed of joining. He also points to Midori Monét’s creative growth, including writing a book during her reign. This is a perfect example of how the pageant’s support can help a winner turn ambition into action.
Together, the contestants form “a vibrant collective portrait of what becomes possible when transgender women are empowered, visible, and celebrated.”
The theme: “A Portrait of Possibility”
MIQ-USA’s 2026 theme is “A Portrait of Possibility,” rooted in the idea that each contestant is “living art,” a woman actively shaping her own story through courage, authenticity, and leadership. Together, the contestants form “a vibrant collective portrait of what becomes possible when transgender women are empowered, visible, and celebrated.”
That theme also speaks to why this event matters right now. Mack doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the broader political climate and its impact on trans communities, especially in places where fear and policy collide. He shares that MIQ-USA lost potential contestants because some felt unsafe being visible where they live. His response isn’t to retreat; it is to keep building a space where trans women are celebrated in public, without apology.
Visibility, he believes, is both normalcy and advocacy. It’s a reminder that trans people are here, contributing, thriving, and refusing to be pushed into the shadows.
the MIQ-USA winner receives a photo shoot and a $30,000 prize package. Then they move on to the International in Thailand.
More than a crown
In the press release announcing the Atlantic City premiere, Todd Montgomery of the nonprofit Be the Transformational Change (BTTC) Fund (the organization producing the event) puts it plainly: “MIQ-USA is more than a competition — It is a celebration of life, community, and progress.”
The winner’s next chapter reflects that scale. Mack explains that the MIQ-USA winner receives a photo shoot and a $30,000 prize package. They then begin preparation for the international competition in Thailand, including guidance on expectations, logistics and wardrobe.
But the deeper prize may be something less tangible: a sense of belonging. What does he hope young trans people take from hearing about MIQ-USA? Mack focuses on care and connection, proof that they are seen and not alone.
And if he could say one thing directly to trans people watching, whether from the audience or from afar, his message is simple: “Stand up. Stand proud and feel loved.” In Atlantic City this March, MIQ-USA aims to make that message visible — sequined, spotlighted, and impossible to ignore.
bethetransformationalchange.org
