Miss Universe 2024 sparks a debate about diversity in beauty standards and more

Miss Universe 2024 has officially chosen a latest queen. This 12 months’s title was won by Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark, a decision that sparked each joy and controversy. Some praised the pageant queen’s blonde hair and blue eyes, traits long related to Eurocentric ideals, and Nigerian Chidimma Adetshina made headlines as first runner-up. Celebrated for her intelligence, elegance and the best way she embodied the vibrancy of African beauty on the Miss Universe stage, the response to Adetshina’s close victory left many questions: Is the world ready to totally embrace diverse definitions of beauty – or are we still falling back on the usual tropes?

While each women’s achievements deserve recognition, many viewers felt that Adetshina’s spectacular performance, which included a thoughtful and powerful response to the importance of respect, deserved the crown. Importantly, her presence was also one other step forward for the African representation on the international stage. However, some saw Adetshina’s second-place finish as a symbol of what many see as subconscious bias – suggesting that even in an increasingly diverse competition, beauty standards rooted in Western ideals still dominate.

The surrounding discourse has been further confused by a Donald Trump Jr.’s polarizing tweet which read: “Biological (and) objectively attractive women can win beauty pageants again. WE ARE BACK!!!” Following a historic, contentious and racially charged presidential election, commentary has shifted attention from the competition itself – an entity formerly owned by the Trump family – to broader questions about how diversity and inclusion will evolve in our current climate.

A step back?

Instead of weighing each contestant’s merits, the conversation not centers on whether the winner deserved the crown, but moderately on how Theilvig’s victory was framed as a “return” to the supposed natural order of beauty. At the press conference following Theilvig’s nomination as Miss Universe 2024, the pageant’s owner, Thai businesswoman Anne Jakrajutatip, said the organization had achieved “the best version of Miss Universe” with a blonde and blue-eyed titleholder. Statements like Jakrajutatip and Trump Jr., highlighting nostalgia for traditionally Eurocentric standards, have sparked discussion about broader implications for the way beauty is or needs to be defined.

In recent years, beauty pageants, including Miss Universe, have taken significant steps to have a good time women from all walks of life. Winners equivalent to South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi (2019) and India’s Harnaaz Sandhu (2021) have shown that beauty isn’t limited to any single set of characteristics or standards. These moments sent a vital message about inclusivity, diversity and progress in the worldwide arena. So, for Breana Turner, a seasoned pageant contestant who became the primary Miss Virginia volunteerthe sudden change in narrative raises some concern.

“I can’t help but think that as a black woman who has competed in (the state) for years (and) who has always known that the odds were basically against me for a few reasons,” Turner said in Video from TikTok. “I am unable to help but consider the message she’s sending to the owner of the Miss Universe organization, saying that they’ve reached the highest of the mountain because they’ve a blonde-haired, blue-eyed winner. (Especially when) it goes against every thing the organization needs to be doing without delay.

But this 12 months’s emphasis on “traditional beauty” has raised concerns about whether this moment marks a step back in efforts to expand representation. While all participants bring their very own unique strengths to the stage, the language surrounding this win reignited conversations about who gets to define beauty and what those definitions mean for the long run of the national team.

Chidimma Adetshina, Miss Nigeria

Miss Nigeria’s performance in this 12 months’s pageant was a dazzling moment that deeply shocked the viewers. Her poise and charisma earned her a well-deserved second place universal admiration. While she has broken barriers and won hearts, for some her runner-up status inevitably feels bittersweet, further proof of the undeniable fact that whilst Black women proceed to embody excellence at every stage, they are sometimes missed or overshadowed. However, this doesn’t diminish the impact of Adetshina’s achievement.

“I’m very proud of myself and I just made history,” she said BBC after her victory.

“Nigeria made history,” she later added on Instagram, per WWD. “My voice and my story touched many and brought us closer together. This journey taught me the power of unity. I want us to live in a society where we can all accept and celebrate each other. This is not the end, but the beginning of my journey.”

Regardless of the end result, Adetshina’s success is a testament to the progress made in expanding representation in the pageant world. The accompanying conversations simply prove that there remains to be much work to be done to make sure that all types of beauty are equally celebrated and appreciated.

The larger picture

Beyond the world of pageantry, this moment reflects broader implications about the present state of diversity, equity and inclusion across industries. Beauty pageants, as cultural touchpoints, often reflect social values. The discourse around this 12 months’s winner raises broader questions about the present trajectory of diversity and inclusion; progressive initiatives that were already under attack. Is there still room for full and continued adoption of those principles, or is resistance to progress growing stronger?