Transgender Miss BumBum contestant’s fury after rivals tried to get her kicked out because she was born a man
Paula Oliveira, 27, says her critics are just scared they'll lose to a transgender woman
ONE of Brazil's first transgender Miss Bumbum contestants is fuming after her rivals allegedly tried to get her booted out of the competition.
Several contestants vying for the coveted title said only those "who were born women" should be allowed to compete, reports claim.
Paula shows of the butt she hopes will win Miss Bumbum
But trans contestant Paula Oliveira, representing Amazonas state, says they're just scared they'll lose to someone who was born a man.
She told SunOnline: "I'm not offended by what they said, because it’s clear they want me out because I’ve got a much sexier ass.
"They are feeling threatened because they are seeing a trans who is more beautiful than them."
Her rivals are reported to have questioned how the competition could be open to "bottoms which are men's bottoms... whichever way you look at it".
Miss Bumbum organisers have defended the inclusion of Oliveira and fellow trans entry Giovanna Spinella, representing Rio Grande do Norte, for the first time ever.
They issued an official warning to the women who complained, threatening to disqualify them if they continue to "prejudice" their rivals.
Miss Bumbum founder Cacau Oliver said: "As long as these women have undergone sex reassignment surgery, and have become fully women, there is nothing that prevents them from taking part.
"The truth is that, by the law, they are 100 per cent women."
The 27 women competing for this year's Miss Bumbum crown were made public last week, with each representing one Brazilian state.
Oliveira and Spinella are the first transgender women to compete in the seven-year-old competition crowning Brazil's best bottom.
Paula, 27, told SunOnline she grew up feeling she was "in the wrong body" until she had a sex change aged 21.
She said competing in Miss Bumbum is a dream come true and if she wins, she'll dedicate it to her supportive father who died four years ago.
Paula said: "I suffered a lot of bullying at school because I was basically a girl in a body's body.
"I always dreamed of taking part in Miss Bumbum, but I never thought it would be possible.
"If I win Miss Bumbum I'll dedicated my title to him, of course. It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for him."
Fellow trans competitor Spinnella said she was "honoured to be able to take part" in the pageant, whose winners achieve overnight fame and earn thousands in endorsements and modelling contracts.
But one of the 27 finalists, Ellen Santana, 31, is staunchly against trans people taking part in the contest which is voted for by the public.
The biology student said: "The competition is supposed to be 100 per cent feminine and yet we're going to have bottoms which are men's bottoms.
"It doesn't matter if they've had surgery, changed their names or sex on a piece of paper."
Santana, representing Rondonia, added: "I'm not intolerant, I know there are a lot of trans people who are more beautiful than lots of women.
"I just think that they should compete in a pageant for trans, and not be allowed to compete in Miss Bumbum, which is all about the beauty of the Brazilian woman."
Another candidate, who didn't want to be named, threatened to boycott the competition if the two trans hopefuls were not removed.
Debora Porto, 29, from Roraima, also protested against the inclusion of trans contestants.
The model, who has the widest behind of the contestants at 125cm, said: "I just think that the competition is for women, not for men."
She didn't threaten to quit because "it's not me who should leave... I'm a Brazilian woman with a big bottom".
Porto added: "It's them who should leave because they are men with a man's body and a man's bottom. I think the whole diversity thing has gone too far."
The women were slapped with an official warning by Miss Bumbum organisers who said they "repudiate any form of prejudice".
They added in a statement: "The contest gives full support to the candidatures [of the trans women] and will not yield to any kind of demand or prejudice against them.
"According to the current regulation, the competition freely allows the participation of the transgender candidates and the other candidates will have to accept them as equals."
Stay up to date with the Miss Bumbum contest
The theme of the eighth edition of the Miss Bumbum is "diversity" and encourages women to "break the mould", according to the organisation.
As well as the transgender models, hopefuls include a plus-size woman, a military policewoman, a nurse and a politician.
Founder Cacau Oliver said: "In this year of the World Cup, we want to showcase all the different types of women we have in Brazil."