South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi, was crowned as the new Miss Universe at the 2019 Miss Universe pageant.
What We Know:
- The Miss Universe pageant was broadcasted live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta on December 8, 2019. There were over 90 women competing in the pageant. Tunzi won against the other two finalists, Puerto Rico’s Madison Anderson and Mexico’s Sofia Aragon, in the final three.
- Zozibini Tunzi is an activist who is fighting against gender-based violence. She has devoted her social media campaign to helping to change the narrative around gender stereotypes. She is also a proud advocate for natural beauty and encourages women to love themselves.
- After her win she had this to say: “Tonight a door was opened and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it. May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in mine.”
- With Tunzi’s win, all four major 2019 pageant titles now belong to black women. Tunzi and Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst are joined by Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin and Miss Teen USA 2019 Kaliegh Garris.
- The pageant also had its first openly LGBTQ+ person, Swe Zin Htet, representing Miss Myanmar a country that currently criminalizes homosexuality.
The Miss Universe 2019 pageant continued to follow the progression in the push for inclusion that many are advocating for within the beauty industry.
The new #MissUniverse2019 is… SOUTH AFRICA!!!! 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/gRW8vcuT3A
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 9, 2019
