It was in 2021 when “It’s Showtime” launched “Showtime Sexy Babe,” its segment dedicated to girls, transgenders, and bisexuals between 18 and 28 years old who are confidently beautiful regardless of their appearance, size, and color. And just like other pageants, what’s more important than their mesmerizing façade are their personality, mindset, eloquence, and grace under pressure, which the gorgeous contestants were able to showcase during the interview and question-and-answer portions.

Even though its second season already concluded last March 1, with Zeah Pala being hailed as the grand winner, madlang people can probably agree that some of its contestants have remained etched in our minds due to different reasons. Among them are the five contestants in this Showtime Toplist, whose stories of grit and determination as they navigate through life and conquer its challenges truly moved everyone who got to hear them.

First off is Sexy Babe Amara, who has opted to remain “NBSB” or “no boyfriend since birth” in order for her to focus not just on her studies but on her career as a part-time singer and a student leader as well—which are all her priorities at this point in her life. Thus, she’s grateful to be still able to manage her time well despite how tough it can be to juggle all of that, as well as to be allowed by her protective parents to do them.

As her mom got stricken by cancer when she was 18 years old and could no longer work, Sexy Babe Ken Lucy was left with no choice but to be self-sufficient for her to be able to send herself to school. Despite having a stepfather and a brother to whom she could have asked for support, Ken still chooses to be independent by being a varsity basketball player at her school and working part-time. She may have experienced discrimination in some of the places she worked in, yet she has remained steadfast and chooses to rise up and fight again.

Sexy Babe Yasmien wasn’t able to contain her emotions as she talked about joining the beauty pageant in hopes of finding and reconnecting with her biological Australian father. However, upon learning from her mom that he’s actually not keen in reuniting with them—as what their common friends had relayed to her—Yasmien realized that it’s perhaps already time for her to stop imposing herself on someone who doesn’t like her. After all, she has now found a father-figure in her mom’s current British partner, who loves and supports her as if she is his own daughter.

With how oozing with beauty, confidence, and energy she was, it was really impossible not to be captivated by Sexy Babe Anabela, who’s a true testament that sexiness indeed comes in all shapes and sizes. Aside from her splendor and charisma, she was also able to charm everyone with her amazing fighting spirit and articulateness that she was able to exemplify by continue joining beauty pageants in spite of all the rejections and defeats she had gone through, as well as being able to perform her responsibilities well as a Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad of their barangay. 

And lastly, Sexy Babe Janesse also wasn’t able to hold her emotions as she conveyed how eager she is to disprove the assumptions of her and her siblings’ detractors that they would not succeed in life anymore after being orphaned at very young ages. She also reminded young people to value their parents as long as they’re still alive because life will be difficult without them, just like what she and her siblings have been going through. Thus, the hosts encouraged her to keep on going and striving for her dreams because she’s definitely off to greater things in life—she only has to believe in herself and work hard. 

May these Sexy Babe contenders remind us that women, despite being more emotional and sensitive than men, are not weak because we carry with us unfathomable strength and courage to endure adversities, rise up from them, and keep carrying on with life. 

Happy National Women’s Month, Kapamilya!