This archive report was first published on 10 December 2019.
On December 8, 2019, the 68th edition of Miss Universe was held at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where 90 contestants from around the world competed for the coveted title.
Among them was 26-year-old Zozibini Tunzi, a South African beauty queen who was also representing her country as Miss South Africa. Tunzi's impressive performance in the different rounds of the contest earned her the top spot, ahead of runner-ups Miss Puerto Rico, Madison Anderson, and Miss Mexico, Sofía Aragón.
During her closing speech, Tunzi spoke about her desire to empower young women to feel confident, saying, "I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful. I think that it is time that that stops today," she said.
Notably, Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet made waves during the competition by announcing that she is a lesbian, becoming the first openly gay contestant in the history of the Miss Universe pageant. Homosexuality is illegal in Myanmar and punishable by up to life in prison.
