Christine Balaguer, profoundly deaf Miss Universe Australia candidate aiming to break down barriers

A profoundly deaf model will compete for the Miss Universe Australia crown aiming to “show the world that deaf people, and people with disabilities in general, can achieve the same things that non-disabled people can”.

Beauty pageant veteran and Christine Balaguer will represent New South Wales against 130 of Australia’s best and brightest for the Miss Universe Australia 2024 crown.

The Daily Telegraph can exclusively reveal the profoundly deaf model has been selected as a NSW state finalist in the competition, which serves as the official preliminary to the Miss Universe contest in Mexico.

“I joined Miss Universe Australia because I want to show the world that deaf people, and people with disabilities in general, can achieve the same things that non-disabled people can,” she said, signing in Australian Sign Language.

Christine Balaguer, at home, in Dural. She has just been selected as a Miss Universe Australia NSW State finalist. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The 33-year-old Filipino, who lives with her Australian partner in Dural, emigrated to Sydney five years ago to further her modelling career with Bella Management.

She was first scouted for beauty pageants while working at a fish market in the Philippines, then reached the Top 12 of Miss World Philippines in 2014 and was Miss Manila 2015 runner up before becoming a fashion model.

Daily Telegraph. 28, January, 2024. Profoundly deaf model, Christine Balaguer, at home, in Dural, today. She has just been selected as a Miss Universe Australia NSW State FINALIST. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

She aims to be the next Miss Universe Australia, after Moraya Wilson took the crown in 2023.

My working experiences have been varied, but are always improving as awareness grows. In the past, I’ve been treated as a second-class citizen by people on set or by casters,” Balaguer said.

“I miss out on some jobs because employers assume they’ll need to source an interpreter for me (when I don’t need one to model), or will see it as ‘too difficult’ to communicate with me.”

Australia’s last Miss Universe winner Jennifer Hawkins, all smiles after winning in 2004.

While lining up at a Service NSW recently, an employee asked Balaguer’s partner why he was speaking on her behalf. “He told her I was deaf and she laughed in my face, then said ‘you don’t look deaf’. Well, what does a deaf person look like?”

“It’s been a longtime dream to do something like this,” she said of the Miss Universe Australia finals, which will be held in August. Last year’s crown went to 21-year-old Moraya Wilson from Victoria.

“I want the hearing world to understand that people like me are able to contribute, and able to exactly what they can. It might not be as quick or as easy, but we deserve a chance to show our abilities off and to be winners.”

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