Legislator Fabricio Alvarado calls trans model 'a man dressed as a woman.'
2025 January 30
After Costa Rica’s Constitutional Chamber (Sala IV) ruled that the Miss Costa Rica / Miss Universe Costa Rica organization could not deny transgender women the right to compete, evangelical legislator and repeat presidential candidate Fabricio Alvarado responded with a speech in the Legislative Assembly plenary opposing the decision. He described the four magistrates as having ruled that “men dressed as women, called ‘trans’ people, can participate in beauty contests,” and referred to the trans model who brought the case, Vinna Rouge, as “a biological man who calls himself Vinna Rouge.”
Vinna Rouge, whose amparo the court had granted, publicly rejected Alvarado’s characterization, saying she knows her own identity and that his remarks displayed ignorance. She said the comments had been passed to her lawyers because the legislator had no right to use her name that way, and confirmed she was consulting counsel about possible legal action against him.