Beauty pageants are usually filled with fanfare and media attention, but in Indonesia, increased scrutiny by Muslim hardliners meant details about the Miss Waria pageant, a competition for transgender women, were kept confidential until just a few hours before the event began.

Contestants and guests were warned not to post anything on social media during the pageant, held in Jakarta, for fear of harassment or violence.

In the end, 28-year-old Qienabh Tappii was crowned— she will represent Indonesia at an international competition next year in Thailand. (“Waria” is the Indonesian word for transgender.)

“I’m very happy, I feel like I want to cry,” said Tappii. "Tonight is the beginning of my struggle for my rights as a waria. I want waria to be accepted, appreciated and understood in our society, and to be equal with other Indonesians. I will work really hard to achieve it."

The world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia is often cited as an moderate religious state. But fundamentalists have gained a foothold in recent years, and increasingly LGBT people have been marginalized.

Earlier this year, an Islamic school for trans women in Java was forced to close after death threats from extremists.

Also this year, a same-sex couple was arrested for hugging in public and effeminate characters were banned from Indonesian television.