The new rule of the Miss Universe pageant has been declared that married women and mothers will be allowed to compete in the pageant.
The initiative was taken after the Miss Universe pageant updated its 70-year-old eligibility rule. Currently, the rule states that only single women aged 18 and 28, who have never been married or had children are allowed to apply.
In an internal memo seen by The National, the organisation says it has always strived to evolve with the times and the latest decision was the natural next step. “We all believe that women should have agency over their lives and that a human’s personal decisions should not be a barrier to their success,” the memo said.
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The new rules will be effective for the 72nd pageant, to be held in 2023. Preliminary pageants have already taken place for Miss Universe 2022, which will be held later this year.
Previously, only single women, aged between 18 and 28, who have never been married or had children were allowed to apply. It wasn’t immediately clear if the age bracket will remain the same. Based in New York, Miss Universe Organisation also owns the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants, besides the global Miss Universe pageant.
