Beauty pageants have always had a wild lack of diversity, as history has proven time and time again that pageants favor women who embody Euro-centric beauty standards. Then, in September 2018 a black woman from North Carolina named Nia Franklin shook things up when she was crowned Miss America 2019, marking the start of a groundbreaking 2019 pageant circuit for black women. What followed Franklin’s crowning was a historic year in pageant history, as the Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, Miss Universe, and now, Miss World crowns are currently held by black women.
On Saturday, December 14, Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica was crowned Miss World. “To that little girl in St. Thomas, Jamaica and all the girls around the world—please believe in yourself,” she wrote on Twitter following her win. “Please know that you are worthy and capable of achieving your dreams. This crown is not mine but yours. You have a PURPOSE.”
Read more:https://www.elle.com/beauty/makeup-skin-care/a30244665/black-women-win-five-major-beauty-pageants/
