Beauty pageants have been something that has been going on for many years, and it focuses on abusing the beauty of women who come from different countries. But beauty is not the only focus, even though it might be one of the contributing factors for one to qualify. Through the years, it has broadened to focus on the kind of individual these women who participate in pageants are, what change they can bring to their communities, what positive message they can spread to younger people who look up to them, and being an educated, beautiful woman

 

 

 

 

 

Even though things like racism and discrimination still exist in beauty pageants, it seems like things are slowly changing. In the past, black women were discriminated against for entering beauty pageants like Miss SA wearing their natural hair, and when Zozibini Tunzi won Miss South Africa as well as Miss Universe, she made it her mission to change people’s perception of beauty. That there is beauty in every skin tone and there is beauty in natural hair as well.

Zozibini Tunzi became an inspiration to many young people who look like her, and she opened a platform for others who thought they did not qualify for Miss SA to enter. And ever since then, South Africa has seen diversity when it comes to contestants for Miss South Africa.

Lalela Mswane, who was crowned Miss South Africa 2021, also made history for South Africa by bringing the crown of Miss Supranational 2022 home. When she was crowned Miss South Africa, she did not receive a lot of support from the people after she went and competed in Israel, which many said was an Apartheid state that oppressed its people. When she decided to go back, she received a lot of backlash, and even the government decided to withdraw their support for her.

But Lalela pushed through to achieve her dream, and she was crowned queen last night, making South Africa proud. Congratulaions to Lalela Mswane for being named Miss Supranational 2022.