Mrs South Africa boasts first openly gay semi-finalist

Leandra Joubert has become the first openly gay woman to make the top 100 selection in the annual Mrs South Africa pageant.

The event is “the number one pageant for married women in South Africa” and states that it is also a “women empowering programme”.

In February, we reported that organisers dismissed claims that the event did not accept lesbian contestants and confirmed that they welcome any married woman to enter.

Last week, it was revealed that the 25-year-old Joubert from Bloemfontein was among the 100 semi-finalists.

“I am extremely excited and proud to be a semi finalist. I can’t wait for the amazing journey,” she told Mambaonline.

Joubert is the Chief Operating Officer for a green building consulting firm, specialising in waste water re-use. She has been married for three and half years.

She describes herself as “a wife, friend, daughter and a sister,” and says that she “believes in being brave, strong and an absolute go-getter.”

To show your support for Joubert, like her picture on the Mrs South Africa Facebook page here (you’ll have to like the page first).

The top 25 finalists in the 2016 Schwarzkopf Professional Mrs South Africa pageant will be announced on 29 April at Emperors Palace.

The current Mrs South Africa, Candice Abrahams, was crowned Mrs World 2016 in China on the weekend.