Miss Universe Pageant: Married women, mothers can participate

For the first time in its history, Miss Universe will allow married women as well as mothers to compete in the international pageant. The new rules will be effective from the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, slated to be held in 2023, as per an internal memo obtained by The National. Stating that they have always aimed to evolve with time, the organisation calls its decision a “natural next step” "We all believe that women should have agency over their lives and that a human's personal decisions should not be a barrier to their success,” the memo said.

Chief executive of Yugen Group and the national director of Miss Universe Bahrain, Josh Yugen has welcomed the decision with open hands. He said, “For me, this is aligned with what I have been fighting for breaking stereotypes and unlearning the stigma that the old society has forced on us from many many decades ago."

The Miss Universe pageant's regulations have always required that winners be single and they also have to maintain their status as such throughout their reign as the title. But from now on, the marital and parental status will no longer be criteria for eligibility for pageant contestants. However, the age bracket for women to compete will remain the same, that is between the ages of 18 and 28.

As far as the pageant is concerned, India has had its share of wins. Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned Miss Universe 2021. She won the title in the finale that took place in Eilat, Israel on December 13. Following Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta, she became only the third woman, from India, to win the international beauty pageant. Sushmita Sen won the crown in 1994 at the age of 18. Six years later, it was Lara Dutta who brought the coveted crown home.

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