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Thread: Beauty Pageants

  1. #151
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    Miss Virginia Camille Schrier now Miss America

    ‘Miss America can be a scientist’: Camille Schrier of Virginia wins after onstage chemistry experiment
    Miss Virginia Camille Schrier, a 24-year-old scientist from Richmond, won the 2020 Miss America competition after putting on a chemistry demonstration. (Miss America Organization)
    By Emily Yahr
    Dec. 19, 2019 at 9:53 p.m. PST

    The Miss America competition has had a rocky couple of years, public-relations-wise, but the annual show returned to NBC on Thursday night and doubled down on its new message: This is Miss America 2.0.

    In other words: Instead of bikinis or evening gowns, the focus is on interviews and social impact initiatives. For the second year in a row, the competition stayed away from even alluding to physical appearance. At the start of the two-hour broadcast, the 51 women were introduced by career category: science, business, arts and education.

    So it was quite fitting for this revamped show that the winner (of the crown and $50,000 scholarship) was Miss Virginia Camille Schrier, a 24-year-old scientist from Richmond studying to earn a doctor of pharmacy degree at Virginia Commonwealth University. She certainly stole the show during the talent portion — as the other four finalists performed jazz dances, twirled batons and sang songs, Schrier put on a chemistry demonstration.

    “Science is all around us! I’ve loved science since I was a little girl,” she said, beaming, dressed in a white lab coat. “It’s my mission to show kids that science is fun, relevant and easy to understand.”


    Schrier performs a science experiment before winning the Miss America competition. (Charles Krupa/AP)

    She then poured potassium iodide into three separate flasks that contained concentrated hydrogen peroxide, food coloring and dish soap.

    “What we are about to watch is the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide,” she said. “But be careful! Don’t try this at home.” Foam started pouring out everywhere. The judges were in awe.

    “Camille, that was so fun,” said actress Lauren Ash of NBC’s “Superstore,” who judged along with singer Kelly Rowland and “Queer Eye” star Karamo Brown. “I feel like if my science teachers were half as vivacious as you, maybe I would have paid more attention.”

    Schrier, who won over runner-up Victoria Hill of Georgia and second runner-up Simone Esters of Missouri, also impressed the judges with her platform (drug safety and abuse prevention) and her interview answers. In response to various questions, Schrier advocated for awareness about mental health; agreed that Miss America should not post anything controversial on social media; and argued that Miss America should always be a single woman without children, because being in a relationship or having kids could distract from the demanding job.

    One answer in particular drew a lot of applause, as Rowland asked, “How do you handle those who might make fun of Miss America?”

    “I think that what I’m doing by being a woman of science and redefining what it means to be Miss America in 2020 is how I deal with those people,” Schrier said. “I’ve had people that don’t think that what I do is necessarily a talent. But you know what? Miss America is someone that needs to educate, be able to communicate with everyone, and that’s what I do as a woman of science. And we need to show that Miss America can be a scientist and that a scientist can be Miss America.”


    The Top 3 finalists: Miss Georgia Victoria Hill, Miss Missouri Simone Esters and Miss Virginia Camille Schrier. (Charles Krupa/AP)
    I kinda do want to try that experiment at home...
    Gene Ching
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  2. #152
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    Do we need a Busted Beauty Queens thread?

    Karyn Turk, pundit and ex-Mrs. Florida, sentenced to prison for social security fraud
    By DAN SWEENEY
    SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL |
    JAN 10, 2020 | 3:59 PM

    Karyn Turk, a conservative commentator, was sentenced to a month in federal prison after pleading guilty to social security fraud.

    Karyn Turk, a former Mrs. Florida beauty pageant winner turned conservative commentator, was sentenced to a month in federal prison plus five months of house arrest Thursday after pleading guilty to social security fraud in September.

    The charge stemmed from Turk pocketing her mother’s social security checks rather than sending the money to the nursing home in which her mother was receiving care for dementia. Turk’s mother died June 10.

    In separate cases in civil court, the nursing home, the mother’s court-appointed guardian and the guardian’s lawyers are all suing Turk to collect money they say she owes them as the representative of her mother’s estate. The total amount owed according to the three lawsuits is more than $320,000.

    Turk is suing the nursing home for negligence.

    On Friday, the day after she was sentenced to prison and ordered to work 100 hours in a nursing home, Turk noted on Twitter, “Look beyond the headlines. There’s always more to the story. Nursing home neglect is real.”

    Karyn Turk
    @KarynTurk
    Look beyond the headlines. There’s always more to the story. Nursing home neglect is real. The elderly in America are not well cared for in many nursing... https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/j...3K9z960lz09BN/


    Jury hits lawyers with $16.4M for doing senior wrong in guardianship
    Advocates for guardianship reform clamored in vain for years that Florida’s system failed to properly protect incapacitated seniors, that its primary purpose had been perverted to line the pockets of...

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    Turk, who lives in Palm Beach County, will remain free while she appeals her case, but she is due to report to prison March 2.

    Turk pleaded guilty in federal court Sept. 27, just a day after she hosted a fundraiser for Republican political consultant and self-proclaimed “dirty trickster” Roger Stone to raise money for his legal defense in staving off charges of lying to Congress, obstructing a congressional investigation and witness tampering. Stone has since been found guilty on all counts and is due to be sentenced Feb. 20. He faces up to 50 years in federal prison.

    Tickets for the fundraiser, held at Delray Beach’s Bull Bar, cost $75 and included a photo.


    Karyn Turk defends Roger Stone to Darrell Gill, center, and Benjamin Gleason, while they argue back holding signs saying “Lock him up” outside the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. On Thursday, Turk was sentenced to a month in prison for social security fraud. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

    Turk has a syndicated show, “Behind the Headlines,” and has made appearances on RT, the internationally distributed television network funded by the Russian government.

    On her website’s “about” section, Turk, 47, boasts that she is “Bold, tenacious and always ready for some fun ... not your average grandma!”

    In a 2016 story on the Mrs. Florida pageant entrants in one of the Sun Sentinel’s community publications, Turk was asked, “What quality do you value most in yourself?”

    “My chutzpah,” she said.

    On Thursday, the day she was sentenced, Turk uploaded a picture to Instagram, where she has 70,000 followers. In it, she stands in a red dress in front of Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach estate.

    According to prosecutors, Turk began stealing from her dementia-ridden mother’s social security account soon after being appointed as her representative payee in January 2015. The nursing home bill ballooned to almost a quarter-million dollars, and as demands for payment became more insistent, Turk stopped visiting her mother.

    Finally, in July 2018, the nursing home requested a court-appointed guardian. This request was granted, and a month later, the court ordered Turk to buy clothes for her mother.

    “A lot people make New Year’s resolutions to diet and exercise but this year I encourage you to start the year off by celebrating all that you overcame on your journey. Negativity is so 2019!” Turk wrote on her blog on Dec. 30, 10 days before her sentencing. “Starting this January, it’s time to shift perspective and start envisioning the future that you can help create. There is no greater gift that you can give yourself than that of a clear-mind, open-heart and desire to bring some good into the world.”


    Dan Sweeney
    South Florida Sun Sentinel
    Dan Sweeney is the author of "Sound Off South Florida," where he covers our readers' view on local news and solicits your comments and opinions on various topics. Previously, Dan covered the state legislature and statewide political issues. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2000 and has lived in South Florida ever since.
    I must say that I'm fascinated when pundits get busted for something really heinous, like stealing from their dementia-ridden mom.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #153
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    Miss Nanchital 2020 Ana Gabriela Molina

    México Crowns First Differently-Abled Pageant Queen, Mexicana Born Without Arms
    CULTURE & COMMUNITY By O. DELGADO



    No arms, no problem.
    Ana Gabriela Molina has just been crowned Miss Nanchital 2020 - and is determined to make history as the first differently-abled Miss México.
    Ana Gabriela Molina was born with phocomelia, a condition that causes malformations of the arms and legs -- but the 24-year-old psychology grad hasn't let her disability stop her from living her life to the fullest.

    On the contrary, it has motivated the future criminologist to challenge stereotypes and advocate for children and others with disabilities.

    "I’ve managed to overcome everything that has happened to me in my whole life," she says. "My disability is not a limit."

    NowThis

    @nowthisnews
    ‘My disability is not a limit’ — Meet Ana Gabriela Molina, a 24-year-old model who was born without arms and is on a mission to become Miss Mexico

    Embedded video
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    The Veracruz native has lived her life as normally as possible, using her perfectly manicured feet to do everything: eating, writing, using her cell phone, researching and typing up her college assignments, even doing a full face of makeup, brows and all.

    "When I wake up and look in the mirror, I see it, it’s there," Molina told Reuters. "It’s physical. But, I’ve been living 24 years with this disability so, for me, it’s not a disability. I feel like any other normal person because I’ve lived my life like that."





    Molina has been participating in beauty pageants since childhood, challenging beauty standards.

    gabrielamolinads

    Chevrolet Coatzacoalcos Ofertas

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    gabrielamolinads
    ¡¡ MIL GRACIAS !! Fue una noche maravillosa, y ya estamos a una semana para la gran final! 🤗😍😍 👗@rukmini.mx 💄 @omyort
    #Sisepuede
    #GabrielaMolinaSIP2019
    #AnaGabrielaMolinaSIP2019
    @srita.imagenportena
    33w
    gabrielamolinads


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    gabrielamolinads
    Presentación de candidatas @missveracruzorg
    Muchas gracias a todos sobretodo a mi familia que pudo acompañarme y a los que a pesar de la distancia y estando en sus hogares me han mostrado siempre su apoyo ❤
    El dia de ayer fue todo un éxito, vamos con todo a la semifinal y por esa corona azul e inclusiva 👑💙♿ Miss Nanchital 💙

    And her determination has paid off; the young model and motivational speaker has been crowned Miss Nanchital, the region's first ever differently-abled queen.


    gabrielamolinads


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    gabrielamolinads
    Ningún soñador es pequeño y ningún sueño es demasiado grande... Vamos a darlo todo 👑💙♿ Rumbo a @missveracruzorg 2020
    Mil gracias a @alondraaguirre__
    .
    @missmexicoorg
    .
    .
    .
    #missnanchital #missveracruz #agenciamodelos #mxmodels #modelo #modelaje #pasarela #fotos #fotografia #arte #modelos #moda #diseñodemoda #pasarelas #modainclusiva #modasinclusivas #modelajeinclusivo #maquillaje #maquillajes #arte #mujer #artistico #modelajearte #boutique #beutymakeup #makeup #mexicanmodels #modelos #models #mexico #belleza #bellezasinlimites
    7w

    "No dreamer is too small and no dream is too big...we're going to give it all," she writes on Instagram. "On our way to Miss Veracruz 2020."

    And from there, to make history as the first differently-abled Miss México.

    "Sometimes the only disability, is the one we put on ourselves. Sometimes the barriers are just in our minds," says Molina. "But when we truly want to triumph, no disability can stop us on the road to success."
    Suerte Ana!
    Impressive. Makes me feel weak whining about my injured wrist.
    Gene Ching
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  4. #154
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    Serene Singh

    Gene Ching
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  5. #155
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    Kataluna Enriquez

    MY TURN
    'I'm Nevada's First Transgender Beauty Pageant Winner'

    KATALUNA ENRIQUEZ
    ON 3/26/21 AT 6:13 AM EDT

    In the Philippines, where I was born, pageantry is huge. But I was never really exposed to it until after I moved to America when I was 10. I recall watching Miss Universe and hearing the story of a contestant from the Philippines. She had grown up in poverty and her family couldn't always afford food. I had thought that pageantry was objectifying women, but that particular contestant inspired me to look beyond the superficial layer of beauty and into contestants' personal stories and what they advocate for.

    In 2016, I competed in my first pageant; an international transgender pageant called Queen of the Universe. I didn't know a lot about pageantry at the time and I was amazed with the production, costumes, and dresses that the girls wore. One contestant was wearing a costume that was must have been more than 15ft tall. I was just wearing pieces I had put together as I didn't yet know how to sew properly, so when I got on stage my top was falling off and I was having to hold it up. It was embarrassing and afterwards I remember thinking that perhaps pageantry wasn't for me.

    Then I learned that I had been just a few points away from making it into the competition's top ten. That gave me a bit of a push and over the next few years I began competing more and improving.

    Trans pageants tend to really focus on glamour and in my experience they are a little more competitive. I understand, because we're in a community that is small, often targeted with hate and there aren't as many opportunities. Cisgender pageants have been a little intimidating for me. I was scared when I first decided to participate in cisgender pageants, because I knew I was different and would most likely be the only trans person competing. It would be new territory where I did not know anyone and I was conscious that I would compare myself to the other women and question whether I was enough.

    My first experience of a cisgender pageant was exciting but unfortunately, it was also humiliating. I have always been open about who I am as a person and always disclose that I am trans. It's a choice that I made because I don't want anyone saying I am a liar. And more importantly, it's my way to embrace myself.

    I applied to this particular pageant three years in a row before receiving a response. Perhaps they hadn't paid attention to my fourth application, because their first email said that they had looked at my social media and discovered that I am trans. They told me that they needed documents providing proof that I am a woman. That was perfectly fine and I had everything ready, but after I submitted court documents and my name and gender change certificates I was told I needed to provide further proof that I was female. Essentially I was being asked to go to a doctor and get a letter to show that I am a woman.

    I decided not to let that stop me, and I was hoping the competition itself would be different. But when it came to assigning roommates, I was told by the organizers that I wasn't going to be sharing a room with anyone. I tried to see it as a positive: I had more space and I didn't have to worry about anyone else. But when I got to my room I cried. I felt like they didn't want me there.

    During the competition I would also hear contestants saying they didn't think I should be there, which was hurtful. But some of the girls became good friends and we are still close now. I didn't place at all in that pageant which was surprising to me because I was fairly seasoned at that point and believed that I could easily secure a spot, at least as a semi-finalist.


    Kataluna Enriquez at her personal interview at Miss Silver State USA.
    KATALUNA ENRIQUEZ
    I've now competed in seven or eight pageants in total and I went to Miss Silver State USA in Nevada this year with the intention of competing for myself and focusing on overcoming my insecurities. I wanted to overcome my fears of rejection, having to second guess myself and changing who I am for other people.

    Like most pageants, Miss Silver State USA has a personal interview, an evening gown round, a swimsuit round and an on stage Q&A session. In my personal interview I was asked what my goal was as a trans woman competing in a cisgender pageant. I told them that oftentimes people think that my experience is different to a cisgender woman, and in some ways it is, but it's also very similar. As a trans woman I have experienced abuse, discrimination and inequality because of my gender.

    Typically we think pageantry is for women who are slim, tall and have nice teeth, but I'm not just a body, I am also a person who struggles with mental health and I am a survivor; I grew up in poverty and have had to forge my own path. A lot of women share the same stories and I think we need to highlight that rather than focusing solely on beauty.

    I wasn't expecting to win but I was also too busy trying to calm my nerves to be fully aware of what was happening. So, when my name was called as the winner I was really surprised and didn't know how to react. It was overwhelming but I was really happy.

    I wasn't aware at the time that I was the first transgender woman to win a beauty pageant in Nevada, but it's amazing. I'm now an automatic entry for Miss Nevada which is in June and my goal is to then go on to Miss USA. I think it's about time we see a trans person on the Miss USA stage and I'd like to make that history.

    I've had a mixture of reactions to my success. My friends and people from the LGBTQ+ community are always supportive, but I've had a lot of messages saying that I'm a man, or I'm not a real woman because I don't get periods and I can't give birth. I've been told that I'm a sin and I'm taking something away from little girls. People have their opinions and when it comes to people calling me a man, it doesn't hurt me. I've heard that so many times.

    There was a point in my life where I would cry myself to sleep hoping that I wouldn't wake up. I don't know what happened, but one day I just decided I wasn't going to listen and instead, I was going to pay attention to what makes me happy.

    I have always wanted to become the person I needed when I was younger, when I knew I was different but I didn't know what or who I was. I was very feminine but I didn't know anyone who was trans, even when I moved to America and saw TV shows where they would present trans people.


    Kataluna Enriquez (center) after winning Miss Silver State USA 2021.
    COURTESY OF KATALUNA ENRIQUEZ/MISS SILVER STATE USA

    After I won Miss Silver State USA one contestant messaged me to say she was really happy that I had won. She told me that she had been feeling insecure at the competition because she is a person who identifies as pansexual. I was so glad that I had been able to give her some light and positive energy.

    It's so important because even now, people are still hurting or afraid to be their true selves, and I understand why they are afraid. That's why we need to continue having discussions and sharing our stories and our authentic selves.

    I just want to continue having conversations, sharing my story and advocating for mental health awareness, representation, inclusivity and diversity.


    Kataluna Enriquez is the winner of Miss Silver State USA 2021 and will be competing in Miss Nevada in June 2021. You can follow her on Instagram @mskataluna and follow her fashion line @katalunakouture.

    All views expressed in this article are the author's own.

    As told to Jenny Haward.
    This thread has gone a lot of different directions, hasn't it?
    Gene Ching
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  6. #156
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    Mrs. World Caroline Jurie

    Mrs. World Gives Up Crown & Speaks Out After Being Arrested for Snatching Tiara Off Mrs. Sri Lanka
    “I will always stand up for what I believe is right,” former Mrs. World Caroline Jurie said

    By Naledi Ushe April 09, 2021 08:13 PM


    CREDIT: CAROLINE JURIE/INSTAGRAM

    Reigning Mrs. World Caroline Jurie announced on Friday that she has given up her crown amid controversy surrounding her behavior at the Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant.

    Pushpika De Silva won Mrs. Sri Lanka, but during the crowning ceremony on Sunday, Jurie snatched the tiara off De Silvia's head, claiming De Silva was divorced which is against the pageant's rules. De Silva, however, clarified in a Facebook post that she is separated, not divorced and said she was injured during the incident.

    While taking off De Silva's crown she was allegedly injured and Jurie was arrested and released on bail Thursday in relation to the incident.

    Jurie discussed the drama in a video post about her decision to step away from the pageant that has been "tainted" by the crowning ceremony.


    CREDIT: CAROLINE JURIE/INSTAGAM

    "I will always stand for what I believe is right," the former title-holder said in a video while wearing her crown and sash. "Every beauty pageant has a set of rules and regulations. What I was pushing for from the beginning was a fair stage. The rules and regulations are equal to all. Rules aren't there so that we can find loopholes so that we can win at any cost. I believe rules and regulations are there for a reason."

    She continued, "The Mrs. World pageant was not created to discriminate divorced or separated women but to celebrate the dreams of the married women." Jurie also implied that there are other pageants De Silva could have applied to as a separated woman.

    "I know I burst a few bubbles, created conversation and even a discussion about class and values that a queen wearing [a] crown should stand for," Jurie said. "If class is defined by how one behaves in the eye of the public, I will let you draw [your own] conclusion [on] that. But if class is also defined by how you behave when no one is watching you and what values you stand by, that is the true test of character."

    The former Mrs. World stressed the importance of standing up for "values even if it means to stand alone in the front of disaster."

    "My only intention was to stand up for the injustice caused to the competitors throughout this competition which was tainted with heavy politicization," she said.

    At the end of the clip, Jurie said, "I am now ready to hand over the crown," before removing the crown from her head.

    On Thursday, Jurie along with model Chula Padmendra were arrested on "charges of simple hurt and criminal cause" related to the crowning ceremony incident, police spokesman Ajith Rohana told BBC. Reps of Jurie and Padmendra did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.

    They both are expected to appear in court on April 19, according to the Associated Press.



    In a video of the crowning ceremony, published by the Colombo Gazette, Jurie told the audience, "There is a rule that you have to be married and not divorced, so I am taking my first steps in saying that the crown goes to the first runner-up."

    She then removed the crown from the winner's head and placed it on runner-up, prompting De Silva to walk offstage, the video shows.

    De Silva later said she suffered "injuries to my skull" when Jurie "snatched" her crown.

    "So, even though that symbolic crown has been snatched from my head, I would like to inform you that I have already taken the necessary legal action for the injustice and insult that has taken place," she wrote in a statement translated from Sinhala.


    CREDIT: AFP VIA GETTY

    The chief organizer of Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant, Chandimal Jayasinghe, also condemned Jurie's actions, telling BBC, "We are disappointed. It was a disgrace how Caroline Jurie behaved on the stage and the Mrs. World organisation has already begun an investigation on the matter."
    This thread still delivers, yes?
    Gene Ching
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  7. #157
    Quote Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin View Post
    I heard that Miss Colombia was in trouble for not wearing any underwear.
    no underwear means no trouble

  8. #158
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    Miss Mexico Andrea Meza, Miss Universe 2021

    Spoiler alert

    miss mexico andrea meza crowned miss universe 2021
    after the pageant was delayed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a winner of the 2021 miss universe pageant was crowned on may 16, 2021.
    By mike vulpo, kaitlin reilly may 16, 2021 8:09 pm

    and we have a new miss universe!

    After more than a year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, the miss universe competition was finally held on may 16 at the seminole hard rock hotel & casino in hollywood, fla. It was hosted by mario lopez and former miss universe olivia culpo, who won the crown in 2012, and featured a special performance by luis fonsi.

    Taking home the ultimate crown this year was miss mexico andrea meza who wowed the selection community with her beauty and brains.

    During the final statement round, miss mexico was asked to address the topic of changing beauty standards. "we live in a society that more and more is more advanced and as we have advanced as a society, we have advanced with stereotypes," she shared via translator. "nowadays, beauty is not only the way we look. For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirits, but in our hearts and the way we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you are not valuable."

    and just minutes before, miss mexico also faced the final question round where she was asked to share how she would have handled the covid-19 pandemic.

    "i believe there is not a perfect way to handle this hard situation such as covid-19," she explained. "however, i believe that what i would have done was create the lockdown even before everything was that big because we lost so many lives and we cannot afford that. We have to take care of our people. That's why i would have taken care of them since the beginning."


    benjamin askinas
    before the show, paula m. Shugart, who serves as the president of the miss universe organization, addressed the pandemic and how the pageant was staying safe. In a statement, she explained, "we have spent months planning and preparing safety precautions to develop this edition of miss universe—one that will be memorable, special and totally innovative."

    beauty queens from 74 countries and territories competed in tonight's pageant, however just 21 contestants advanced to the final round. After first competing in the swimsuit contest, which you can see photos from here, 10 moved on to the evening gown competition. Five contestants were selected to participate in the question and answer round.

    The last time the miss universe pageant was held was in 2019, when miss south africa, aka zozibini tunzi, took home the ultimate prize. Miss puerto rico madison anderson was the first runner-up and miss mexico sofía aragón was the second runner-up.


    rodrigo varela/getty images
    at the time, zozibini really impressed the judges with her answer to the question, "what is the most important thing we should be teaching girls today?"

    she replied, "i think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It's something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time. Not because we don't want to, but because what society has labelled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world."

    of passing the torch to her successor, zozibini said in a statement, "i always knew that my reign as miss universe would be unlike any other. While it was nothing like what i had imagined my year to be, this year has opened doors for me i could never have imagined. I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect virtually with people all over the world and elevate the causes i care most about."

    miss universe 2021 airs sunday night at 8 p.m. On fyi.
    bummer, the images are blocked.
    Here:
    Gene Ching
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  9. #159
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    Kataluna Enriquez

    NEWS
    Transgender woman wins Miss Nevada USA pageant, making history
    By Jackie SaloJune 29, 2021 | 1:10pm | Updated

    A transgender woman has been crowned Miss Nevada USA — for the first time in the pageant’s history.

    Kataluna Enriquez, 27, who only began competing last year in cisgender pageants, was named the winner Sunday in the competition at the South Point hotel-casino in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

    “One thing that is important for me is inclusivity, diversity and representation. It’s something I did not have growing up and is still lacking in today’s world,” Enriquez said.

    “Today I am a proud transgender woman of color. Personally, I’ve learned that my differences do not make me less than, it makes me more than,” she continued.

    She beat out 21 other candidates to represent Nevada at the Miss USA pageant that will be held on Nov. 29, the outlet reported.


    Kataluna Enriquez was crowned Miss Nevada USA.
    Instagram
    Enriquez — who previously was crowned Miss Silver State USA in March — competed in several gowns that she designed herself, including a shimmering number with rainbow sequins.

    “I did not always have money and it’s hard for women to find dresses that fit their bodies,” she said. “Pageantry is so expensive and I wanted to compete and be able to grow and develop skills and create gowns for myself and other people.”


    Kataluna Enriquez only began competing last year in cisgender pageants.
    Unique Nicole/Getty Images
    Kataluna Enriquez beat out 21 other candidates to represent Nevada at the Miss USA pageant.
    Instagram
    Enriquez said that she joined the competition to share her story and show that she’s more than “just a body.”

    “With pageantry, people think it is only about beauty. But it’s how you present yourself, what you advocate for, what you’ve done and the goals you have,” she said.
    I wonder how the losers feel...
    Gene Ching
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  10. #160
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    oui

    Miss France pageant faces lawsuit for requiring all contestants to be at least 5-foot-5, unmarried and child-free
    Updated 20th October 2021

    The five finalists (LtoR) Miss Guyane Alicia Aylies, Miss Languedoc-Roussillon Aurore Kichenin, Miss Tahiti Vaea Ferrand, Miss Lorraine Justine Camara and Miss Guadeloupe Morgane Thérésine, pose on stage in swimsuit during the Miss France 2017 beauty contest on December 17, 2016 in Montpellier. / AFP / Pascal GUYOT (Photo credit should read PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Images)
    Credit: Pascal Guyot/AFP/Getty Images

    Written by
    Leah Dolan, CNN
    Miss France, the country's 101-year-old beauty pageant, is being sued by a feminist activist group and three unsuccessful applicants over alleged discriminatory entry requirements.
    An appeal has been filed against the pageant's parent company, Endemol Production, by Osez le féminisme (Dare to be feminist), who in a news statement issued on Tuesday said Miss France contestants perform a work service and therefore should be protected from prejudice under French employment law.
    Discrimination against employees on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, family situation or genetic characteristics is considered unlawful in France. A 2021 application form for the national beauty pageant revealed candidates would not be considered if they were not at least 5-foot-5, or if they had ever been married or had children.

    Miss Guadeloupe Clemence Botino is crowned Miss France 2020. Credit: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images
    Further disqualifiers for potential contestants include wearing weaves or hair extensions, having tattoos and smoking. The application also asks for clothing size, and it requests that prospective beauty queens do not undergo any major physical changes after they are accepted into the competition. Failing to comply could land the contestant with a 5,000-euro ($5,822) fine, according to Miss France's terms and conditions.
    While the mission statement of the competition is to find "the young woman most representative of beauty and elegance," the strict registration requirements mean contenders for the crown are somewhat limited.
    "Beyond exploiting women for economic gain, this contest, through the violations of the law of which it is guilty, has a negative and retrograde impact on the whole of society," wrote Osez le féminisme in its news statement. "It is high time Endemol Production finally removes all sexist clauses from its regulations."
    Miss France and Endemol Productions have not responded to CNN's request for comment.
    Alyssa Ahrabare, the head of Osez le féminisme, wrote on social media that Miss France currently "feeds stereotypes that stand in the way of equality."
    "The competition rules are discriminatory: marital status, age, attitudes, choices of women, everything is subject to injunctions from another time! Candidates must be single and respect the rules of "elegance", stop these sexist rules!" she added.
    The three applicants involved in the lawsuit against Miss France were rejected from the competition for their "age, height, drinking and smoking in public and having tattoos," Ahrabare told CNN.

    Suzanne Angly, Miss France 1969, posing in a bathing suit. The competition began in 1920. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
    This is not the first time in recent years that the pageant world has been criticized for its outdated codes of conduct and culture. In 2013, France decided to ban competitions for children under 16 over concerns of promoting the hyper-sexualization of minors. But few countries followed suit, despite an accruing number of petitions. In 2018, model Veronika Didusenko had her Miss Ukraine title revoked when organizers found out she was a mother. Miss India came under scrutiny, too, in 2019 for perpetuating colorism by exclusively choosing fair-skinned contestants. And earlier this year, Miss United States of America (a separate pageant to Miss USA) won the right to ban transgender women from competing.
    While there have been some instances of positive change -- in 2019, Zozibini Tunzi became the first Black woman with natural hair to win Miss Universe, and last year India crowned their third Miss Transqueen -- progress is often clouded by pageantry's controversial history.
    Yet appetite for beauty contests, at least in France, appears to be on the up. Miss France 2021, which aired December 2020, received the best television ratings since 2006 with 8.6 million viewers tuning in to watch the crowning, according to local reports. The next Miss France competition is set to take place December 11.
    Top image: Five finalists pose on stage for the swimsuit segment of Miss France 2017.
    Times they are a'changin'
    Gene Ching
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  11. #161
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    Transgender Miss USA contestant eliminated early.

    Gene Ching
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  12. #162
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    But what about their toes?

    This is now my favorite post on this thread.

    Saudi camel beauty pageant cracks down on cosmetic enhancements
    Published 1 day ago

    IMAGE SOURCE, AFP
    Judges used "advanced" technology to uncover tampering with contestants in the pageant
    More than 40 camels have been disqualified from Saudi Arabia's beauty pageant for receiving Botox injections and other cosmetic enhancements.
    The contest is a highlight of the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, where $66m (£45m) in prize money is at stake.
    Key attributes include long, droopy lips, a big nose and a shapely hump.
    Judges used "advanced" technology to uncover tampering with camels on a scale not seen before, the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
    All contestants were first led into a hall where their external appearance and movements were examined by specialists, it said.
    Their heads, necks and torsos were then scanned with X-ray and 3D ultrasound machines, and samples were taken for genetic analysis and other tests.
    Twenty-seven contestants in the cup for Majaheim camels alone were disqualified for having stretched body parts and 16 were ejected for having received injections, according to SPA.
    The organisers of the pageant, the Camel Club, were cited as saying that they were "keen to halt all acts of tampering and deception in the beautification of camels" and promising to "impose strict penalties on manipulators".
    They described how Botox was injected into camels' lips, noses, jaws and other parts of their heads to relax muscles; collagen fillers were used to make their lips and noses bigger; and hormones were given to boost muscle growth.
    Rubber bands were also used on animals to make body parts bigger than normal by restricting the flow of blood, they said.
    Jason Baker, senior vice-president of animal rights group Peta Asia, described the beauty contest as a "cruel farce".
    "Subjecting any animal to a cosmetic procedure, from ear cropping to declawing, dehorning, and filler injections, is hideously cruel and shows the humans who use such tactics to be extremely ugly," he said.
    Mr Baker said animal welfare issues needed to be addressed throughout the Middle East and Asia, and called on Saudi authorities to crack down on any event that exploits or abuses animals.
    Some 33,000 camel owners from as far away as the US, Russia and France are participating in the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, which is the largest in the world and lasts 40 days.
    As many as 100,000 tourists are also expected daily at the 32 sq km (12 sq mile) festival site, 100km (62 miles) north-east of the Saudi capital Riyadh.
    Gene Ching
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  13. #163
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    Harnaaz Sandhu

    India’s Harnaaz Sandhu wins Miss Universe contest held in Israel
    Sandhu, a 21-year-old model, tops a field of some 80 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and the pandemic.


    India's Harnaaz Sandhu waves after winning Miss Universe 2021 during the 70th Miss Universe pageant in Eilat, Israel [Ariel Schalit/AP]
    Published On 13 Dec 2021
    13 Dec 2021
    Harnaaz Sandhu of India has been crowned the 70th Miss Universe, topping a field of some 80 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and the pandemic.

    The previously reigning Miss Universe, Andrea Meza of Mexico, crowned her successor, a 21-year-old model, early on Monday in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat.

    The pageant was held in the middle of the night, wrapping up at 5am (0300 GMT) on Monday to accommodate the primetime schedule in the United States.

    The pageant included traditional displays of national costumes, swimwear and a series of interview questions to test contestants’ public speaking skills. The top 10 showed off intricately bedazzled full-length gowns in either gold, silver or bronze.


    Sandhu performs in the National Costume portion of the Miss Universe pageant in Eilat, Israel [Ariel Schalit/AP]
    The Philippines’s Beatrice Luigi Gomez wore an asymmetrical cut dress with one sleeve, highlighting a new tattoo she said “celebrates her womanhood”.

    Before Sandhu, two Indians have won the Miss Universe title: Bollywood actresses Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.

    Boycott calls
    The contest also drew attention in recent weeks for other reasons, with several contestants defying pressure to boycott in support of the Palestinians.

    A grassroots Palestinian-led boycott movement had urged contestants to skip the event to protest Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

    The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel wrote: “We urge all participants to withdraw, to avoid complicity in Israel’s apartheid regime and its violation of Palestinian human rights.”

    The 80 contestants also included Miss Morocco Kawtar Benhalima and Miss Bahrain Manar Nadeem Deyani, whose Muslim-majority nations normalised ties with Israel last year.

    In the end, only Indonesia and Malaysia, nations that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, did not send a representative, citing the global COVID-19 situation, not Israel’s rights record.

    South Africa, which also strongly supports the Palestinian cause, withdrew support for the country’s representative over her participation, citing “atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians”.

    The United Arab Emirates, which also normalised ties with Israel last year and where Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made a historic visit on Sunday, has also not sent a candidate.

    But the UAE said that was “due to time constraints” in selecting its national winner.

    ‘Colonialism, racism’
    Contestants for the pageant landed in Israel late last month and have since toured sites, sometimes coming under criticism for cultural insensitivity.

    In one stop in the Bedouin city of Rahat, the candidates wore robes with traditional Palestinian embroidery while rolling grape leaves – which Gomez tweeted was a “Day in the life of a Bedouin”.

    The Bedouin are traditionally nomadic Palestinians who have long complained of discrimination in housing and education by the Israeli government.

    “Colonialism, racism, cultural appropriation, patriarchy, whitewashing, all in one place,” tweeted Ines Abdel Razek of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, an advocacy group.

    In an interview last month, Meza urged contestants to leave politics out of the pageant, saying the gathering was meant to bring together women from different backgrounds.

    “When you are in there, you forget about politics, about your religion,” she told The Associated Press news agency at the time.

    Sara Salansky, an official with the Israeli tourism ministry, said the country was selected to host the contest earlier this year because of Israel’s successful coronavirus vaccination programme.


    South Africa’s Lalela Mswane, from left, India’s Harnaaz Sandhu and Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira advance to the top 3 during the Miss Universe pageant [Ariel Schalit/AP]
    The contest suffered a last-minute hiccup with the arrival of the Omicron variant, which forced Israel to close its borders to foreign tourists late last month.

    Most of the Miss Universe contestants were already in the country before the new regulations came into effect. But those who came afterwards were given special permission to enter, albeit with a mandatory 72-hour quarantine period.

    Throughout the run-up to Sunday’s contest, all contestants were tested for the coronavirus every 48 hours and required to obey strict mask requirements.

    Amid all the safeguards, France’s contestant, Clemence Botino, tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after arriving in Israel. After 10 days in quarantine, she was declared virus-free last week and allowed to rejoin the competition.

    Last year’s pageant was delayed due to the pandemic before Meza was crowned in May of this year for her abbreviated tenure.

    Participants in the pageant, which was co-owned by Donald Trump before he became US president, must be between the ages of 18 and 28 and should not be married or have a child.

    SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
    Steve Harvey needs to be done here. He can stick with Family Feud.
    Gene Ching
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  14. #164
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    Emma Broyles

    First Korean American wins Miss America title

    By @Jencadyphoto via Facebook
    POSTED BY
    LEN PATEL
    DECEMBER 17, 2021
    Emma Broyles made history Thursday night becoming the first Korean American and the first Miss Alaska to be crowned Miss America.

    The Insider reports the milestones took place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, in the 100th Miss America pageant.

    “As a Korean American, I am so grateful for the opportunity to compete alongside so many brilliant, talented women,” she said, according to Alaska Public Media. “I hope to live up to the legacy, serve as a positive role model for women of all ages and make the Miss America Organization proud. It’s been an honor to represent the great state of Alaska and I look forward to making a significant impact through my social impact initiative on the national stage.”

    Broyles lives with Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder as well as dermatillomania. The condition causes her to constantly pick at her skin.

    “One thing that I’ve really tried to do, especially as Miss Alaska, is show people that I’m real. I have flaws. I have ADHD, I have dermatillomania, which is a form of OCD,” Broyles said. “I’ve struggled with all of those things, and because of that, I am a better person.”

    According to the Insider, Broyles studies biomedical science and voice performance at Arizona State University.

    She says her victory represents positive change in the Miss America pageant. She described the organization as progressive. She says what counts is “who you are as a person” and not what you look like.

    “It doesn’t matter what your background is. It doesn’t matter who you love. None of that matters,” she said. “What matters is who you are as a person, who you want to be, and what change you want to make in the world.”
    That's a lot of disorders...
    Gene Ching
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  15. #165
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    RIP Cheslie Kryst

    Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019 And ‘Extra’ Correspondent, Dies At 30
    Natasha Decker
    Mon, January 31, 2022, 8:20 AM·2 min read

    Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty

    Former Miss USA, attorney and Extra correspondent, Cheslie Kryst, has passed away, confirmed by both her family and authorities on Jan. 30.

    Kryst’s body appeared to have fallen from an elevated position. It was found outside the Orion building around 7:15 AM at 350 West 42nd Street in New York City, according to the authorities who identified it on the street below. It’s been reported that her death was most likely a suicide.

    Kryst is said to have been last seen on the 29th-floor terrace of the 60-story building, where she lived on the ninth floor, detailed by The New York Post.

    Additionally, sources who spoke with the outlet claim Kryst, Miss USA 2019, left a note behind saying she wanted to leave everything to her mother, also a former pageant winner.

    “In devastation and great sorrow, we share the passing of our beloved Cheslie,” Kryst’s family told PEOPLE in a statement. “Her great light was one that inspired others around the world with her beauty and strength. She cared, she loved, she laughed and she shined.”

    “Cheslie embodied love and served others, whether through her work as an attorney fighting for social justice, as Miss USA and as a host on Extra,” they added. “But most importantly, as a daughter, sister, friend, mentor and colleague – we know her impact will live on.”

    Extra also offered its “deepest condolences” to Kryst’s loved ones. The TV program’s statement read: “Our hearts are broken. Cheslie was not just a vital part of our show, she was a beloved part of our Extra family and touched the entire staff.”

    Kryst posted a photo of herself with the caption, “May this day bring you rest and peace ❤️ ,” in her last Instagram post. It was shared over the weekend, allegedly shortly before her death.

    Her win as Miss USA 2019 contributed to the history-making feats of Nia Imani Franklin (Miss America), Kaliegh Garris (Miss Teen USA) and Zozibini Tunzi (Miss Universe) being the first group of Black women to hold those titles in a single year, according to PEOPLE.

    Kryst’s shine and influence will be missed by many. As a known and vocal mental health advocate, her passing is that much more heartbreaking.

    RIP.
    So tragic...
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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