There’s a particular kind of poetry in a homecoming that happens on an international stage. For Lo Colby, that’s exactly what winning Miss International Queen 2026 turned out to be.
The Thai-American beauty was crowned in Pattaya, Thailand on September 19, defeating representatives from 26 other countries and handing the United States a piece of pageant history: back-to-back Miss International Queen titles, following 2025 winner Midori Monét, and the first time any country has won in consecutive years.
But for Colby — born and raised in Hawaii, now based in Los Angeles — the win was never just about the sash.
Her mother immigrated to the U.S. from Thailand decades ago and hadn’t been able to return home in more than thirty years. This competition marked Colby’s first trip to her mother’s homeland. She didn’t just visit — she won.
“As a Thai-American, I’ve always felt a connection to Thailand, but this experience allowed me to experience the country and its culture in a much deeper way,” Colby said. “It truly felt like coming full circle.”
That sense of belonging showed up in how she talked about the competition itself. Thailand has long held a particular status in trans pageantry; a place where, as Colby put it, individuality tends to be welcomed rather than tolerated. “I have never felt more seen and loved than I have in Thailand,” she said. “This country has such a beautiful way of welcoming individuality and authenticity.”
When her name was called Saturday night, she says the moment nearly defied language. “For a few seconds, everything around me seemed to disappear. I was overwhelmed with happiness, pride, and gratitude, and then it hit me that this wasn’t just a dream anymore. It was real.”
Colby also picked up the competition’s Best in Talent award, but it’s her platform — economic empowerment for transgender people — that seems most likely to define her year. A career built across drag, content creation, business, and beauty gave her a natural entry point into advocacy work focused on financial literacy, career access, and pay equity for trans women. She credits that lived experience, more than polish, with getting her to the crown.
“I wasn’t speaking about these issues simply because they were part of my platform, they are deeply personal to me,” she said. “I believe that genuine connection between my story, my advocacy, and my purpose came through on the stage.”
She’s not shy about what she wants the title to do. “I will continue to champion trans women in the workforce and advocate for equal opportunity, economic empowerment, and protections for my community,” Colby said. “This reign is about turning visibility into action.”
Following Monét was, in her words, “an incredible honor,” and one she’s already thinking about paying forward. “I’m grateful to Midori for the path she helped create, and I hope I can honor that legacy in my own way while continuing to open the door for the woman who comes next.”
If there’s a thesis to Colby’s reign, it might be this: representation isn’t the finish line, it’s the opening move. “We are artists, entrepreneurs, professionals, leaders, caregivers, and so much more,” she said. “We deserve opportunities to be seen not just for our identities, but for our talent, our ideas, and what we bring to the world.”
And for the young trans women watching her moment from wherever they are, her message was simple and unfiltered: “You are perfect exactly as you are. You are incredible, you are capable, and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Keep showing up as yourself, even when it feels difficult. Your authenticity is your strength.”
Follow Miss International Queen Lo Colby on Facebook and Instagram at @MissInternationalQueenUSA.
