On November 16, 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig was crowned Miss Universe 2024, becoming the first Dane ever to win the competition. Marking a historic moment, the Miss Universe Association reflects a new era of inclusivity, as for two consecutive years, contestants from new countries have won the title.

For several years, Miss Universe has been evolving into a more inclusive and modern beauty pageant. Recently, the standards by which contestants are deemed worthy of the title of Miss Universe have been transformed. As society has become more inclusive and modern, global values and cultures have shifted, motivating the Miss Universe Organization to shape itself into

a more globally relevant platform. One of the main critiques surrounding Miss Universe was their limited selection of diversity within contestants with such contestants.

Now, the Miss Universe Organization has taken on a “rebrand,” as demonstrated by the recent selection of winners. The pageant has also adressed age-related stereotypes historically associated with beauty contests and shifted its focus selecting indviduals who aim to ho aspire to make a global impact and serve as strong leaders and role models. Moreover, contestants are motivated to emphasize the importance of advocacy, intelligence, and showcasing their bright and kind personalities. For instance, contestants are evaluated on their responses to complex questions about global problems, beliefs, and values. Similarly, the competition has places emphasis on social impact.

Indeed, the Miss Universe Organization has transitioned from a traditional beauty pageant into a platform that empowers women and drives global change, where the Queen elected dedicates her time to improving the world, addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, promoting self-love and confidence in women, and tackling environmental issues.

In this manner, Denmark’s win reflects the organzations new pattern of electing queens from dierent countries. The new Miss Universe, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, is the first Dane to hold the title. The 21-year-old winner is a competitive dancer, entrepreneur, and aspiring lawyer (Yeung & Holland, 2024).

During the final rounds of this edition of Miss Universe, five finalists were asked questions on a range of topics including leadership and resilience When asked how she would live dierently if she knew no one would judge her, Theilvig responded by stating she wouldn’t change a thing: Theilvig responded by stating she wouldn’t change a thing, “I live by each day”( Yeung & Holland, 2024). To add, she urged the audience to persevere regardless of their origins. She concluded with: “I stand here today because I want a change, I want to make history, and that’s what I’m doing tonight” (Yeung & Holland, 2024).

This year has been a landmark for Miss Universe, reflecting significant changes in the organization and showcasing greater inclusivity. These changes are evidenced not only by the past two years’ winners coming from countries that had not won before but also through updates to the format and rules of the competition.

For example, this year marked the first time in Miss Universe’s 72-year old history that women aged over 28 were permitted to compete. While more than two dozen of the finalists were older than the previously allowed age, including Malta’s Beatrice, the first and only woman in her 40s to reach the grand finale.

Victoria Kjær Theilvig was not the only contestant to make history. Chidimma Adetshina became the first Nigerian to secure a spot in the top five of the Miss Universe Pageant and is the current first runner-up. Adetshina, a lawyer and actor, impressed the judges with her responses. When asked about Miss Universe’s role in inspiring women and her message to the audience, she powerfully stated: “As a woman who has faced adversity, I feel like I have a powerful story. I don’t stand here as Chidimma Adetshina; I stand here as a symbol of hope, a beacon of faith, as someone who has persevered with grace. I believe I have fought not only for myself but for Africa.”

Other winners of the Miss Universe 2024 competition included second runner-up Maria Fernanda Beltran from Mexico, third runner-up Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand, and fourth runner-up Ileana Marquez from Venezuela.

This year, a new title of continental queens was introduced, with Chidimma Adetshina crowned as Miss Universe Africa and Oceania 2024, Tatiana Calmell as Miss Universe Americas, Matilda Wirtavuori from Finland as Miss Universe Europe and Middle East, and Chelsea Manalo from the Philippines as Miss Universe Asia.

Bibliography:
AP News. (2024, November 17). Victoria Kjær eilvig of Denmark is crowned the 73rd miss

universe. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/miss-universe-victoria-kjaer-denmark-mexico-5e0101a9176

caadd7aa710db4e603b48

Yeung, J., & Holland, O. (2024, November 17). Denmark’s Victoria Kjær eilvig wins miss Universe 2024. CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/16/style/miss-universe-2024-winner-denmark-intl-hnk/i ndex.html