Miss Universe pageant to allow mothers and married women to compete


During the 48th Miss Universe pageant held in Trinidad and Tobago, the final question was "If Miss Universe were to become pregnant during her reign, should she be allowed to continue as Miss Universe?”

Botswana's Mpule Kwelagobe answered: "Personally, I think Miss Universe is a symbol of a woman as well as she's celebrating her femininity, and I believe that if she should fall pregnant it will not in any way interrupt her duties. I believe as a woman she should celebrate her femininity."

The then 19-year-old triumphed over Miriam Quiambao of the Philippines (first runner-up) and Diana Nogueira of Spain (second runner-up) to win the title of Miss Universe 1999, a historic first time for her country.

Fast forward to today, over 20 years later, the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) has announced its decision to allow "women who are or have been married, as well as women who are pregnant or have children" to compete starting next year (Miss Universe 2023).

With the latest change in their rules, it is clear the organization headed by Paula Shugart (President) and Amy Emmerich (CEO) continues to "evolve with the changing of times to best represent and support women globally."

"Women should have agency over their lives, and that a human's personal decisions should not be a barrier to their success."

Photo: Miss Universe

Popular posts from this blog

Miss Universe 2024: Meet the contestants

Image
Miss Universe 2024, the 73rd Miss Universe pageant will be held on November 16 at the the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico. The country known for its rich culture, ancient ruins, dazzling beaches, and incredible cuisine has been chosen to host the competition for the fifth time after 1978, 1989, 1993, and 2007. A total of 127 national queens have been crowned up to this point and are all set to compete in this year's highly anticipated beauty pageant. Reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua will crown her successor at the end of the much-awaited event. Don't forget to download the Miss Universe official app and vote for your favorites. The most-voted contestant will automatically earn a spot in the Top 30. Who will be crowned the next Miss Universe? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miss Universe (@missuniverse) Meet the contestants: Albania - Franceska Rustem Angola - Nelma Ferreira Argentina - Magalí Benejam Armenia - Emma
Read more

Mr World 2024: Meet the Top 12 finalists of the Top Model competition

Image
The Mr World 2024 Top Model competition was held during the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest on Saturday, November 9 at the spectacular Villa Blanche in Vung Tau, Vietnam. Over 50 contestants vying for this year's title walked the runway wearing creations by talented local designers and outfits they prepared specially for the challenge. The fast-track event culminated with the announcement of the Top 12 finalists: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mr World (@mrworld.official) Italy - Bruno Barbieri Northern Ireland - James Moody Spain - Antonio Company China - Wei Zihong India - Gokul Ganesan Philippines - Kirk Bondad Türkiye - Ege Karabenli Vietnam - Pham Tuan Ngoc Kenya - Teddy Rossiter Colombia - Juan Esteban Rodriguez Mexico - Alan Salazar Venezuela - Juan Alberto Garcia The winner of the Top Model competition, to be announced during the final in Phan Thiet this November 23, will automatically advance to the Top 20. Photos: Mr World / Instagram
Read more

Puerto Rico's Daniel Mejía wins Mr World 2024

Image
Daniel Mejía from Puerto Rico was proclaimed the winner of the Mr World 2024 competition on Saturday, November 23 in Phan Thiet, Vietnam. The 28-year-old talented singer became the first Puerto Rican to win the international title. He holds a degree in health sciences and works as a mortgage loan originator. Pham Tuan Nhoc of Vietnam, Antonio Company of Spain, and Felipe Salvador Maria of Angola were announced as the first, second, and third runners-up, respectively. Tomas Haring of the Czech Republic, Gokul Ganesan of India, Teddy Rossiter of Kenya, Megha Sooriyaarachchi of Sri Lanka, Ege Karabenli of Turkey, and Juan Alberto García of Venezuela were the Top 10 finalists. Contestants from Argentina, Tomas Ghigo, Belgium, Nathan de Schepper, Italy, Bruno Barbieri Roggiero, Lebanon, Mario El Hajj, Mexico, Alan Salazar, Myanmar, Sai Toung Law, Peru, Mickael Peña Olivieri, Philippines, Kirk Bondad, Sierra Leone, Alhaji Hassan Mansaray, and the USA, Daryn Friedman completed the Top 20. Thi
Read more

Miss Grand Denmark 2022 is Victoria Kjær Theilvig

Image
Victoria Kjær Theilvig has been officially announced as Miss Grand International Denmark 2022 and she will soon travel to Indonesia for the 10th Miss Grand International pageant. The 18-year-old former elite dancer from Søborg is a woman with great ambitions. She has already completed high school, where she studied marketing and economics, and is now taking a gap year, where she works full-time with her own company. Miss Denmark Organization headed by CEO Lisa Lents made the official announcement on social media early Monday morning. An official statement read: "The Miss Grand International pageant is one of the most prestigious events of its kind and millions of people from around the world will be watching the final competition. The contestants are going to have a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience." Miss Grand International 2022 will take place from October 4 to 25 in Bali and Jakarta, Indonesia. The new Miss Grand Denmark, who is also a passionate dancer and a trave
Read more

LIVE UPDATES: Miss Universe 2024 Final Competition Results

Image
Tonight, the much-awaited culmination of the Miss Universe 2024 pageant will broadcast live from the Arena CDMX in Mexico City. For the past two weeks, equally beautiful and empowered beauties from 125 countries and territories have been busy filming, touring, and preparing for the upcoming final show. Actor, TV host, and producer Mario Lopez and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo will serve as hosts while Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and TV personality Zuri Hall will be backstage commentators. Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Robin Thicke, Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas, Brazilian artist Richaelio, Nico Ruiz, Latin pop star Vikina, and The Mariachi will be the musical guest performers. The selection committee consists of Camila Guiribitey, Emilio Estefan, Eva Cavalli, Fariana, Gabriela Gonzalez, Gary Nader, Gianluca Vacchi, Jessica Carrillo, Lele Pons, Margaret Gardiner, Michael Cinco, Nova Stevens and Romero Britto. Tonight's final competition will feature the Top 30 semifin
Read more

Miss Universe Denmark 2024 is Victoria Kjær Theilvig

Image
Victoria Kjær Theilvig has been officially announced by the Miss Denmark Organization as Miss Universe Denmark 2024. The 20-year-old passionate dancer living in Copenhagen was part of the jury at the Miss Denmark 2024 final on Sunday at Cirkusbygningen. She will represent Denmark at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico this November. Her predecessor was last year's Miss Denmark (Miss Universe Denmark 2023), Nikoline Uhrenholt Hansen, who competed in Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador. No stranger to pageantry, the new Miss Universe Denmark was second runner-up at Miss Denmark 2021. She was then appointed as Miss Grand Denmark and went to Miss Grand International 2022 in Indonesia where she made the Top 20. Hailing from Søborg, Victoria is a graduate of business and marketing and is a champion in dancing as well as a dance teacher. She is a dedicated volunteer supporting various causes and also an advocate for mental health awareness, drawing from her personal experiences to ins
Read more

Miss Denmark 2024 is Emma Heyst from Sæby

Image
Emma Heyst was crowned Miss Denmark 2024 in a glittering national competition on Sunday, September 1 at the Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen. The 21-year-old animal welfare advocate and salesperson from Sæby, Jutland succeeds last year's winner Nikoline Uhrenholt Hansen. Sophie Wagner and Sofie Ørn Andersen were named the first and second runners-up, respectively. Sofie Langballe Jensen and Simran Kholi rounded out the Top 5 finalists. The new Miss Denmark is expected to represent her country in a major international pageant in 2025. Emma is currently taking a sabbatical and working as a full-time salesperson in Ilva. In her spare time, she enjoys quality moments with her family and friends. Her interests include traveling, social media, planning and decorating events and holidays, experimenting with Pescetarian cooking, paddle boarding, winter swimming, and animal welfare. As Miss Denmark, she wants to use her platform to achieve her goals in life and to be the voice for the animals.
Read more

Miss Universe 2024 standouts in the preliminary competition

Image
The spectacular Miss Universe 2024 preliminary competition and national costume show was held last night at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Hosted by reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios and Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel, the important event kicked off with the contestants parading in their colorful and stunning national costumes. After the national costume segment, each contestant walked on stage in their swimsuits and capes, and then by group during the evening gown. An esteemed panel of selection committee carefully assessed each of their performances. Scores from last night's event including their closed-door interviews, will help determine the semifinalists. Standouts were from Aruba, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Cuba, Curacao, DR Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Iceland, Italy, Martinique, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Thailand, US Virgin Islands, USA, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Colombia,
Read more

Mr World 2024: Puerto Rico's Daniel Mejía wins Sports Challenge

Image
Puerto Rico's Daniel Mejía was declared the overall winner of the Mr World 2024 Sports Challenge following the combined results of swimming and running events. The swimming round was held on November 14, while the running round took place on Sunday in conjunction with the Strong Vietnam Marathon in Vung Tau City. Kirk Bondad of the Philipines came second while Bruno Barbieri of Italy, Manu Turner of England, and Vincent Gobuamang of Botswana were third, fourth, and fifth, respectively. The Sports Challenge winner officially earns direct entry into the Top 20 to be announced at the upcoming final show on November 23 in Phan Thiet, Vietnam. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mr World (@mrworld.official) Photos: Ricardo Siviero / Mr World
Read more

Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig crowned Miss Universe 2024

Image
Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig bested 124 other contestants to win Miss Universe 2024 on Saturday, November 16 at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City. The 21-year-old beauty made history as the first-ever Danish woman to win the highly coveted international title. She succeeds last year's winner Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua. Chidimma Adetshina from Nigeria was named first runner-up while María Fernanda Beltrán from Mexico, Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand, and Ileana Márquez from Venezuela were announced as the second, third and fourth runners-up, respectively. Contestants from Argentina, Magalí Benejam, Bolivia, Juliana Barrientos, Canada, Ashley Callingbull, Chile, Emilia Dides, Peru, Tatiana Calmell, Puerto Rico, Jennifer Colón, and Russia, Valentina Alekseeva made the Top 12 finalists. The rest of the Top 30 were from Aruba, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, India, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Philippines, Serbia, Vietnam, and
Read more