Miss Universe judge Emily Austin says outrage over transgender contestants led to the pageant's bankruptcy as she claims company had 'financial issues' in Thailand

A Miss Universe judge said outrage over transgender contestants is what led to the pageant's bankruptcy and said the company had 'financial issues' in Thailand. 

Journalist Emily Austin, who was also a 2022 Miss Universe judge, sat down on the Fox Business Varney & Co. talk show on Thursday and expressed her thoughts on the organization's fallout. 

'I think the outrage about a trans woman coming to Miss Universe and preaching, "Bring the power back to women," couldn't be more of an oxymoron,' Austin said. 

Thai media mogul and trans-woman Anne Jakrajutatip bought the rights to Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA for $20million in 2022 from IMG Media. 

'I think her company in Thailand has its own financial issues, but socially and morally it's just wrong. And people are starting to catch onto that,' Austin said. 

Emily Austin was a former judge for the Miss Universe pageant in 2022 and weighed in on its bankruptcy on Thursday  

Thai media mogul and trans-woman Anne Jakrajutatip bought the rights to Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA for $20million in 2022 from IMG Media

The bankruptcy comes after the company missed out on fulfilling a $12 million loan repayment just days before the 2023 Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador.

Despite the setback, Jakrajutatip's JKN Global Group has been bullish and maintains that the event will go ahead as planned even after they filed for bankruptcy a year later. 

'Miss Universe Organization, which is only one of our many business lines, is completely clean,' Jakrajutatip said in a post on Instagram. 

The entrepreneur described it was her 'first priority in life no matter how joyful or painful it's gonna be.' 

The preliminary rounds for the pageant began on November 15 with the main show scheduled to start on November 18. 

For the first time, the pageant this year is set to feature two transgender contestants- Miss Portugal and Miss Netherlands. 

Miss Portugal is a flight attendant named Marina Machete and Rikkie Kollé is Miss Netherlands. They would be the first trans women to wear the tiara if they won.

In 2018, the pageant featured its very first transgender contestant, Spain’s Ángela Ponce. 

In Thursday's interview, Austin spoke about how she believes that trans women should not be allowed to participate in the beauty pageant. 

'If you want to empower women, the way to do it is not demeaning women and belittling women by allowing men, or biological men who became a woman, to come into an industry like sports, like beauty pageants, come all dolled-up plastic — beautiful men, by the way — and start dominating women's industries.'

'That's the opposite of women's empowerment,' Austin said.  

Austin said that men who 'decided to become a woman' don't possess a 'feminine story'

Growing up, Jakrajutatip used to feel 'trapped' in a man's body and transitioned from male to female in her 30s

Flight attendant Marina Machete (left), 23, of Portugal, is vying to be the first trans woman to win the competition at this year's event in El Salvador. The other trans woman competing is Rikkie Valerie Kolle of the Netherlands (right)

The former judge added that during the Miss Universe event many decisions are based on the contestant's interviews, and a transgender woman's life struggles might not be equivalent to a biological woman's setbacks. 

Austin said she thinks that men who 'decided to become a woman' don't possess a 'feminine story.'

'You don't know what period cramps feel like, I'm sorry. You don't know what it's like to walk down a stage during that time of the month and really say: this is femininity.' 

'You are a man who identifies as a woman, and that's fine. But don't start coming into women's industries — have a line, have a boundary. That's the problem,' Austin said. 

Growing up, Jakrajutatip said she used to feel 'trapped' in a man's body as she was bullied and 'sexually assaulted by a teacher.' 

The trans billionaire transitioned from male to female in her 30s and turned her family's failing video-rental business into a global media empire. 

Her latest venture was when she bought the rights to Miss Universe and became the first female to do so after 70 years of it being run by men. 

The owner before her was former US president Donald Trump who owned it from 1996 to 2015. 

Nearly 90 contestants from around the world took part in the competition, organizers said, involving 'personal statements, in-depth interviews and various categories including evening gown & swimwear.' 

The winner will be crowned by last year's winner, America's R'Bonney Gabriel in New Orleans. 

In the Q&A at the last stage of the competition for the three finalists last time around, Gabriel was asked how she would work to demonstrate Miss Universe is 'an empowering and progressive organization' if she were to win.

'I would use it to be a transformational leader,' she responded, citing her work using recycled materials in her fashion design and teaching sewing to survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence. 'It is so important to invest in others, invest in our community and use your unique talent to make a difference.'

Since the start of 2022, JKN's share price has fallen over 80 percent. In the wake of the bankruptcy, the company has petitioned to 'adjust interest rates on existing debt and extend its debt repayment method,' reports The Bangkok Post. 

In 2015, former President Donald Trump was forced into selling the pageant after TV companies refused to deal with the then-candidate over his remarks while on the campaign trail. 

Around the time that Trump sold the pageant, Former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado, said that he called her Miss Piggy after she gained weight and won the contest in 1996. 

R'Bonney Gabriel after being crowned Miss Universe 2022 

Trans activist Anne Jakrajutatip, pictured third from the left with various pageant winners from over the years, bought the pageant in 2022

Austin said that she hired bodyguards last month on Fox & Friends after she received death and rape threats from anti-Semites

Just last month, Austin hired bodyguards after she received rape and death threats from anti-Semites. 

The 22-year-old, who is outspoken about her Judaism and support for Israel, said she is concerned about officials failing to take action against blatant acts of antisemitism occurring around the US. 

'I'd be lying to you if I told you I didn't get a bodyguard for the next, who knows how long. I got a bodyguard because of my appearances on TV,' Austin said on Fox & Friends. 

Austin has also expressed dismay of universities across the country who have taken part in pro-Palestine and pro-Israel protests. 

'I can't believe it's (the threats) being tolerated ... I'm all about free speech, but at this point it's this is a call to action. So how is the FBI not hunting down this student and getting them off of a college campus, that part is beyond me,' she said.