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Beauty pageant Miss Universe recently crowned its winner for the year this weekend on January 14, in its 71st iteration. The competition saw magnificent personalities and incredible women, including the new owner of the organization, Anne Jakkapong Jakrajutatip. She, a Thai businesswoman and trans activist, purchased the organization in October 2022 for $20 million.
While announcing the winner of the ImpactWayy Award, the new owner addressed the crowd. However, before revealing who won the award, she said:
"The Miss Universe Organization from now is going to be run by women, owned by a trans woman, for all women around the world to celebrate the power of feminism."
Miss Universe’s first woman owner, Anne Jakkapong Jakrajutatip, addresses the crowd
The recent shift in the Miss Universe organization’s ownership is a step towards diversity and inclusivity. Thai trans businesswoman and celebrity Anne Jakkapong Jakrajutatip purchased the beauty pageant for $20 million in October 2022.
In a statement announcement, she stated that her company, JKN Global Group, seeks to continue its legacy of providing a platform to passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and traditions along with also aiming to evolve the brand for the next generation. While ownership has changed, Amy Emmerich and Paula Shugart continue to serve as the CEO and President respectively.
Soon after the acquisition of the organization, Anne spoke to Reuters about her decision and stated that since it’s a universal platform, she can become an aspiration for people, particularly for women and members of the LGBTQ community so that “they can transform.” She added:
"I’m a Thai person who would love to contribute the goodness to the country also. The (Miss) Universe platform is much bigger than Thailand that I can have my own voice, my statement, my opinion, the perspective, and the courage to talk to everyone."
The new owner took to the stage to announce the winner of the ImpactWayy Award's winner in the 71st installment and addressed the crowd, saying that she "chose not to surrender" and turned her "pain into power." She stated:
"I was not accepted by society because they did not want to embrace my differences. I chose not to surrender. I turned pain into power and life lessons into wisdom. On this stage called the Miss Universe competition, we can elevate our women to feel strong enough, good enough, and qualified enough and never be objectified again."
The owner further promised that under her leadership, she would enhance the organization’s longstanding heritage. Previously, only single and child-less women were allowed to compete in the competition, however, a new rule would enable mothers and married women to compete for the crown.
Another aspect of the purchase also includes her wish to increase tourism in Thailand. In the interview, she added that any country will get income through tourism if they’re the pageant host and hopes that her country Thailand will be the host every three to four years.
The pageant was started in 1952 and has been on-air for 71 years, getting broadcasted in 165 countries. In 2018, Miss Universe saw its first trans-woman delegate from Spain, Angela Ponce, compete for the crown. The latest winner in the long list of amazing women to have been crowned includes R’Bonney Gabriel, who won the global pageant on Saturday, January 14.
