Miss Universe declares moms and wives aged 18 to 28 eligible to compete starting on its 72nd edition which will take place next year.
Miss Universe organization president Paula Shugart has confirmed the news of the pageant's inclusion of moms and wives in the competition.
Shugart appeared in an interview with ANC and talked about the changes that the competition will go through starting with the 72nd edition.
“We did not want to be in a position that we are precluding someone from competing if they felt that they can handle that job. If you know what the job description is, which we’re really going to make sure that everyone is aware [of]. They need to be able to handle that job as a Miss Universe, whether they have a family or not,” she said.
In the decades-long history of Miss Universe, the organization has only allowed single women, aged between 18 and 28, who “must not have ever been married, not had a marriage annulled, nor given birth to, or parented a child” to compete.
The inclusion of moms and wives will take place provided that the contestants must still fall within the 18 to 28 age bracket.
“Now, women are able to have families, they’re able to have a job, they’re able to be a spokesperson. We should not be the ones to say, “You can’t do this,” because we shouldn’t let them down,” Shugart added.
Rumors about the changing of eligibility rules started spreading in August as various sources claim that a memo has been put out to inform national directors that women who are either married or divorced, as well as women who are either pregnant or already have children, are said to be qualified for the pageant beginning with its 72nd edition in 2023.
In other news, Miss Universe finally has a date for its final show as the 71st edition of the pageant is set to take place at the Ernest N. Moral Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 15, 2023.
The preliminary competition however, is scheduled on January 11 and contestants are expected to register with the Miss Universe Organization from January 5 to 6, before the ceremony proper.
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