The country of Nicaragua is in celebration after a historic Miss Universe win. Sheynnis Palacio was crowned Miss Universe 2023 on November 18, 2023. This win means a lot to the Nicaraguans because it is not only the farthest a contestant from the country has gone, but it’s also the first time they have won.
The Miss Universe event was held in El Salvador this year. El Salvador being the host country has sparked a lot of talks about the government of El Salvador under the leadership of Nayib Bukele. This is the first time the competition is held in El Salvador, or any Central American country for that matter.
For many years, the pageant has a long history of people questioning whether it’s demeaning to have these women representing their countries, parading around in bathing suits. I say not.
The event consists of three sections: the swimsuit parade, the evening gown, and the personal interview. Before, the contest used to be almost purely about looks and confidence in a woman. However, a contestant’s knowledge now plays a huge factor in their victory. As the women were being introduced, I noticed that many had or were getting their college diploma. Some women had their masters and many stated that they were studying to be lawyers. I think that every category is well diving into showing every woman and what they might shine at.
My favorite part of the competition is the national costume. Every year, I look forward to seeing how the delegates have chosen to represent what their country stands for. In my opinion, the best costume of the night came from Miss El Salvador. The dress upon first look is absolutely stunning. Miss Salvador looks like she is covered in flames. The dress’ volcanic ambiance is supposed to symbolize transformative power that nature has and the rebirth of the nation. The dress further impressed me when the flames were illuminated by light. The dress reminds me of the movie “The Hunger Games,” when Katniss lights her dress on fire, making it one of the most iconic movie scenes ever.
This year is a year of many milestones. It is the first year that mothers are represented in the Miss Universe competition. Miss Colombia and Miss Guatemala are both married mothers, which was never seen before in the competition’s history. There had been rules set in place, restricting the women that could apply to be Miss Universe. Having to be childless and unwed has been removed as a rule, alongside the age restriction. This year is also the first year to be open to any female above the age of 18. Prior to this competition, the ages to be able to compete were 18-28. Miss USA, who won the competition in 2023, was one of the oldest winners at 28, just barely missing the cut off.
The biggest change in rules that has resulted to be controversial is allowing transgender women to participate. Miss Portugal, Marina Machete, and Miss Netherlands, Rikkie Kolle, are both making history as the first transgender women to participate in Miss Universe celebration, making people take to Twitter to give their opinions on it. The event’s inclusivity has also further increased, as this is also the first the audience has seen a plus-sized woman strutting the Miss Universe runway.
At the end of every Miss Universe event, it is announced where the competition will be held the following year. The event will be held in Mexico next year.
