Filipino American from Texas speaks her mind after being crowned Miss USA

R'Bonney Gabriel will represent the US in the Miss Universe contest.

Miss Texas R'Bonney Gabriel has a lot to say after being crowned Miss USA 2022 in Reno, Nevada on Monday, thus becoming the second Filipino American to win the title.

Gabriel, 28, will go on to represent the US at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant that will be held in New Orleans Jan. 23 in 2023.

When she won the Miss Texas title earlier this year she told ABC News' local affiliate in Houston. "I'm a very proud Filipina Texan."

Many of the initial articles (unfortunately, including this blog, mea culpa) about Gabriel's accomplishment touted her as the first Filipino American to win the Miss USA title. That feat belongs to Macel Wilson of Hawaii who won the title in 1962. She was, in fact, the first non-White to win the contest. 

 Gabriel is turning out to be one of the most quotable beauty queens in recent memory and one who is not shy about proclaiming her Filipino roots.

"Oh my God, it's an honor," Gabriel told Houston Life following her win on Oct. 3, the start of Filipino American History Month. "I'm getting messages on Instagram and just social media of Filipina girls and women telling me they're so excited, they're so happy."

"They're crying tears of joy because they are inspired to go after pageantry or something," she added. "Like I'm paving the way for them to just go after whatever they want no matter what it is. So it's an honor."

“My mom is from Beaumont, Texas, and my father is from the Philippines,” Gabriel wrote in an Instagram post. “They got married in Manila, Philippines."

The new Miss USA is  fashion designer based in Houston. She also works with the nonprofit Magpies and Peacocks, teaching sewing to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. She graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in fashion design.

Gabriel also won Best in National Costume. Her look was inspired by the Texas state flower, the bluebonnet, which was created with a glamorous twist by Filipino designer Patrick Isorena.

R'Bonney Gabriel's costume reflects her dual heritage.

 "I hand-painted the same flower design from my mother’s wedding dress onto my sleeves and tied in a traditional Maria Clara Filipina collar shape. I have immense gratitude for the (opportunities) my parents provided me and wanted to express my love to them through this,” she told the GMA hosts.

“This outfit I designed with my parents in mind—tying in the flower patterns from my [mom's] wedding dress and a Filipina traditional Maria Clara collar shape,” R’Bonney said on Instagram.

“I feel at peace knowing I have put in the work to develop into the truest form of myself. I’ve learned the importance of embracing who I am,” she added. “I'm here to represent Texans, Filipina Americans, and those who push past (self-doubt) to reach their greatest potential.”

It may be difficult for the Miss Universe handlers to control the new Miss USA. In an interview with Insider a day after she won her crown, it is clear that the outspoken Gabriel is not going to fit into the beauty queen mold as she was interviewed by the Filipino network GMA, she shared her thoughts on several controversial issues

On gun control:

"In Texas, and in our country, we can't completely abolish guns but I think we need to take steps to make everybody feel safer," she added. "In Texas, you don't need a concealed handgun license to carry a gun, and I strongly disagree with that."

On abortion bans:

"I think, personally, with abortion there's so many different instances and situations in a woman's life where it could be appropriate, and other reasons why it's inappropriate," Gabriel said. "I think it's a case-by-case basis that's very personal to a woman's life in general."

"I personally believe that she should be able to make that decision on abortion, and not the government or anybody else," she added. "At the end of the day, I would want a woman to be able to have that decision. In Texas, even if its rape or incest, abortion is still illegal — and I disagree with that."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Earlier versions of this post erroneously reported that R'Bonney Grabriel was the first Filipino Americans crowned as Miss USA. For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

 

Filipino American named first runner-up for Miss USA

Miss Idaho, Kimberly Layne.

History was almost made earlier this week when two Filipino American pageant contestants came within a whisker of sweeping the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA competitions.

Ki‘ilani Arruda of Hawaii won the Miss Teen USA title Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee. Monday night on the same Memphis stage, another Filipino American, Kimberly Layne, was one of the two finalists for Miss USA. 

Idaho's Layne, wound up 1st runner-up in the Miss USA pageant. Asya Branch of Mississippi won the Miss USA crown and will represent the U.S. in the Miss Universe contest. If, for whatever reason, Branch is unable to compete, Layne would take her place. 

Layne, 26, was born and raised in southern Idaho. Her mother is from the Philippines and her father is Irish American.

“I’m from a rural community originally, and I grew up with all the animals around us,” Layne said. “My dad is from a farming family so he loved animals. Therefore, I loved animals and we always had animals. My dad was a medic in Vietnam, so I grew up being exposed to a lot of medicine concepts with him — I grew up with his anatomy textbooks and everything in our house.”

She graduated from Cornell University with honors in research. Currently, she studies at Washington State University pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, and a Master of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. In 2012, she represented Idaho in the Miss Teen USA contest.

She is passionate about health promotion and disease prevention, according to the Miss USA website. She also has dual citizenship for the Philippines and the U.S 

After the competition, Layne revealed on Instagram that she was honoring her father during the contest.

“Three words: I did it! My father’s military dog tags are beneath this gown. He is a 100% disabled, Vietnam veteran who used to travel, hunt, camp & fish. He couldn’t be in the audience last night because of his medical conditions and being immunocompromised but I brought him up there with me.”