ATLANTA — A transgender woman who says she was preparing to participate in the Miss Georgia USA pageant this summer has dropped out.
Bella Bautista posted on social media earlier this week that she would be relinquishing her title as Miss Buckhead USA 2025 and therefore not competing in the statewide pageant.
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“When I joined this pageant, I did so with the hope of breaking barriers, inspiring others and showing that representation matters,” Bautista wrote on Instagram. “I entered this competition to show that transgender women belong, that we are deserving of space, celebration and the chance to pursue our dreams - nothing about that has changed.”
Bautista goes on to say that the Miss Georgia USA organization’s “affiliations and actions” do not align with her own.
The statement also included mention of “ongoing legal proceedings,” but did not comment on what those proceedings include.
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Bautista ended the statement by thanking supporters.
“Your love and encouragement mean the world, and I can’t wait to share what’s next,” Bautista wrote.
The Miss Georgia USA pageant is scheduled for June at the Henry County Performing Arts Center in McDonough.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the Miss Georgia USA organization for a comment, but has not heard back.
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