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Thur Established 1961 Lifestyle TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2019 Newly crowned Miss Universe 2019 South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi waves from stage after the 2019 Miss Universe pageant. iss South Africa was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday in Atlanta after a Mlavish ceremony filled with glitter and heartfelt speeches about female empow- erment. Zozibini Tunzi, 26, finished first ahead of the Puerto Rican and Mexican finalists in a flashy tele- vised event, hosted by American comic turned TV personality Steve Harvey. Television personalities Vanessa Lachey and Olivia Culpo served as backstage commentators, and a panel of seven women determined the winner. Tunzi earned cheers during her closing speech, a new seg- ment of the competition, in which she talked about wanting to empower young women to feel confident. “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,” she said. “I think that it is time that that stops today,” she said to thunderous applause. Tunzi beat more than 90 con- testants from around the globe in the 68th instalment of Miss Universe, which was held in Atlanta’s Tyler Perry Studios. The two favorites ahead of the com- petition, Miss Thailand Paweensuda Saetan-Drouin and Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados, did not make it Miss Universe 2018 Philippines’ Catriona Gray (right) crowns the new Miss Universe 2019 South Africa’s to the final 10. Zozibini Tunzi on stage during the 2019 Miss Universe pageant. The Philippines’ Catriona Gray, who presented Tunzi with the crown, took home the Miss Universe Homosexuality is illegal in the southeast Asian coun- owned the organization from 1996-2015. Additionally, crown in 2018. Although she did not make the finals, try and is punishable by up to life in prison. Miss Universe continues to host the swimsuit compe- Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet made waves last week In 2018, the competition also featured Miss Spain tition, which has drawn criticism for objectifying the when she came out as the competition’s first openly Angela Ponce, who blazed a trail as Miss Universe’s contestants, although that part of the pageant was gay contestant. “I have that platform that, if I say that first transgender contestant. But the pageant has had not televised. — AFP Newly crowned Miss Universe 2019 South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi arrives for a I’m a lesbian, it will have a big impact on the LGBTQ a controversial past. Multiple contestants have press conference after the 2019 Miss Universe pageant at the Tyler Perry community back in Burma,” Htet told People maga- alleged that US President Donald Trump would regu- Studios in Atlanta, Georgia on December 8, 2019. — AFP Photos zine, using her country’s historic name. larly enter the competitors’ changing room while he Contestants stand around an emotional newly crowned Miss Universe 2019 South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi after the 2019 Miss Universe pageant. Second runner up Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon (left) stands in front of the two finalists Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi (center) and Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson (right) during the 2019 Miss Universe at the Tyler Perry Studio..