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When 8days.sg first met Miss Universe Singapore (MUS) finalist, Qatrisha Zairyah, she was everything one would expect of a beauty queen.
Beautiful and towering at 1.8m, she exuded a polished confidence one can only have from participating in pageants.
Before being selected as one of the finalists at this year’s MUS, Qatrisha was the first runner-up at Miss International Queen 2023, a pageant for transgender women.
Of course, it is not lost on Qatrisha that being MUS’s first trans woman finalist is significant.
“I was shocked when I received the e-mail that I would be in the top 15. As a trans woman, it shows that Singapore is slowly becoming more open,” she says.
Qatrisha underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2017.
The 33-year-old fashion adviser tells 8days.sg that after MUS scrapped the age limit and allowed married and divorced women to apply, she knew it was a sign that her chance had arrived.
“I felt it was time for me to tap into my full potential and contribute towards my community,” she says.
At this point, Qatrisha has us convinced that despite the obvious odds against her, she is ready to take the crown should it come her way.
“I possess a quality to be up on that stage and serve as a great representation for women of all backgrounds,” she says.
Even during our interview, we had a slight inkling that Qatrisha was using our 20-minute chat as a practice run for the question-and-answer segment during the finals on September 22.
“I plan to inject my own message on acceptance and relay to society on what it takes for me to get here and help others like me gain more acceptance from the public,” she says in all seriousness.
Of course, with the MUS being the most well-known pageant here, Qatrisha tells us that it takes another level of confidence and courage.
“I’m competing with natural-born women and have received a lot of discrimination and hateful comments,” she admits.
Her method to deal with the hate: “Simply rise above it all and be the one with an open heart and positive mindset,” she says.
At this point, we were wondering if we will get a glimpse beyond the veneer of Qatrisha’s pageant queen persona?
We then realise Qatrisha shines best when talking about her personal life and tells us she has a big family backing her up.
Her stepdad works as a dispatch rider while her mum is a housewife.
Qatrisha also has two older siblings, a brother, and sister, along with two stepbrothers and a stepsister.
“My biggest fan must be my mum who is a housewife. She never fails to say to me in Malay, “My daughter is beautiful,” she says.
Of course, you will notice she brightens up the most when talking about her 32-year-old husband who, like her, is also Muslim. He works as a non-destructive testing inspector.
Married for seven years now, the pair first met and became close friends when they were both serving their National Service at Nee Soon Camp.
Qatrisha had just downgraded her PES from being a rifleman while her husband was a storeman.
“We connected after realising we stayed two blocks from each other and started booking in and out together,” she says.
Unknown to Qatrisha, she never knew he had a crush on her until she found it odd that he was starting to send her home frequently.
She also says he was the one who initiated becoming a couple.
“He actually asked if I wanted to change my Facebook relationship status to “In A Relationship” when we started dating,” laughs Qatrisha.
Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is a green flag right there.
8DAYS.SG: What was it like when both of you first started dating?
QATRISHA: It was hard because his family was very against it.
They knew he was with me when I was still a boy. When I transitioned, my husband was very firm in wanting to be with me and didn’t allow anyone to suggest that we break up.
So we decided to move in together and rented a small room for S$500. Only after my sex reassignment surgery did we get married and apply for a BTO to have a place we could call our own.
How did the conversation on changing your gender go with him?
Since we met during our National Service days, he knew that I cross dressed and that I always wanted to be a woman.
He always tells me that he loves me for the person I am and not my gender.
How was the wedding like?
I wanted it to be as traditional and normal as possible. It was for him to feel no different from marrying a woman.
Only my family and our friends turned up as my husband didn’t want his side to interfere with his life.
It must have been quite a small gathering then.
We had about 300 relatives and friends turn up
Wow! That is quite a number!
Yes, 300 people who love and support us for who we are.
How has your husband supported you in your journey taking part in pageants?
My husband actually doesn’t know much other than telling me who he finds pretty [laughs].
He even compares me to the other girls and always say I have a chance. It is his words that that keeps me motivated.
Did you try on your mum’s heels and practiced your wave when you were younger?
(Laughs) Not just her heels. I would also take her lipstick as well.
I was four when I first tried on my mum’s clothes and found it to be very normal. As I grew older, I started wanting to try my sister’s clothes too.
Even back then, I always questioned myself if I was a girl trapped in a boy’s body.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
It must be Angela Maria Ponce Camacho, who was Miss Universe Spain 2018. She paved the way for many of us by being the first trans woman to represent her country. Her stories of struggle and her relationship with her partner have been a significant source of inspiration and motivation for me to reach where I am today.
Photos: Kelvin Chia, qatrisha_zairyah/IG
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