Beatrice Luigi Gallarde Gomez (Cebuano:[beaˈtɾisluwiˈdʒiʔˈgɔmɛs]; born February 23, 1995) is a Filipino beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2021. She is the first openly bisexual woman to be crowned Miss Universe Philippines, she represented the country at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant in Eilat, Israel, and finished as a top five finalist.
Early life and education
Beatrice Luigi Gallarde Gomez[2][3] was born on February 23, 1995, in San Fernando, Cebu, Philippines.[4] She was raised by a single mother.[5] She studied at the University of San Jose–Recoletos and pursued a degree in mass communication.[6] At the same time, she also played varsity volleyball for the university.[7] As a student-athlete, she was able to study under an athletic scholarship.[5] In 2022, she graduated from the said university.[6]
Pageantry
Miss Mandaue 2015
Gomez's first pageant was in 2015 when she placed second runner-up at the Miss Mandaue 2015 pageant.[8][9]
Binibining Cebu 2020
Gomez represented San Fernando at the Binibining Cebu 2020 pageant and won the title, succeeding Steffi Rose Aberasturi of Mandaue City.[10][11] She also won the Best in Swimwear, Miss Foton, and Miss Body Worx Medical Spa awards.[7]
On September 1, 2021, representing Cebu City, Gomez was confirmed as one of the thirty delegates in the Miss Universe Philippines 2021 pageant.[12][13]
During the finals on September 30, 2021, Gomez won the Best in Swimsuit, Best in Evening Gown, Miss Cream Silk, and Miss Luxxe ImmunPlus Game Changer awards. At the end of the event, Gomez was crowned by outgoing Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo as Miss Universe Philippines 2021.[14][15][16][17][18]
With her win, Gomez became the first openly bisexual Miss Universe Philippines winner and the first to represent the country in Miss Universe.[19][20][21]
Gomez competed at the 70th Miss Universe pageant in Eilat, Israel, on December 13, 2021, becoming the last Philippine delegate to qualify to the Miss Universe semifinals during the country's longest streak of appearances in its history in the said round at 12 consecutive years (dating back from 2010).[22] Gomez finished as a top five finalist, becoming the first openly LGBT delegate from any participatory country at Miss Universe to advance to the competition's finals, as well as the Philippines' highest placement since Miss Universe 2018.[23]Harnaaz Sandhu of India won the said pageant.[24][21][25]
In May 2022, she was named as one of the honorary members, among the first batch, of the newly launched Friends of Marines, a civilian organization by the Philippine Marine Corps.[28][29]
Civic involvement and advocacy
Gomez is one of the founders of BEyouthfulPH, an organization that extends assistance in uplifting the lives of disempowered and disadvantaged children in different parts of the Philippines. One of the organization's programs focuses on children in conflict with the law, guiding and inspiring them to become more proactive and law-abiding Filipino citizens.[30][31]
In an interview, Gomez, who identifies as bisexual,[21][32] also says she "hopes that younger LGBTQIA+ people would be free from bullying and violence:
Just like what everyone hopes for in the LGBTQIA+, I aspire for acceptance and inclusivity — especially equal rights and protection for the younger generation who oftentimes suffer from bullying and different forms of violence. They are left to fend for themselves, particularly those that are oppressed by their own parents.[21]
