MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ Miss Universe Catriona Gray has passed on (09 December 2019) her crown to South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi as the new reigning Miss Universe 2019 during the coronation night in Atlanta, Georgia.

Zozibini is currently working towards earning a graduate degree in Public Relations Management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

Meanwhile, Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados made it to the Miss Universe semifinals via wildcard but she later failed to make it to the top 10 finalists.

She, however, claims she likes Zozibini very much because their first names sound alike.

According to Miss U observers, what powered Tunzi’s reign as new Miss Universe was her concise, empowering answers that set her apart from 89 other contestants, and most especially, during the crucial part of the pageant when there were only the three of them with Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Mexico.

The question asked on them in that crucial stage, touched on “what will she teach young girls and what do they needed to be taught today.”

The 26-year-old Zozibini’s answer was straightforward: “I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership,” she said, lamenting the culture that limits what women can do in society.

Tunzi added that: “It’s something that has been lacking [with] young girls and women for a very long time. Not because we don’t want to but because of what society has labeled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity.”

Those answers very much reflected the Public Relations student’s advocacy for women.

“She has devoted her social media campaign to changing the narrative around gender stereotypes,” her Miss Universe biography says.

“She is a proud advocate for natural beauty and encourages women to love themselves the way they are.”

Tunzi’s statements reflected similar themes all throughout and later on in her final statement, the Miss Universe titleholder also touched on what she said were limiting standards of beauty in society.

“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful. And I think that it is time that that stops today,” she said in her final statement.

“I want children to look at me and see my face, and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine.”

It was the third time the holder of the prestigious Miss Universe title hailed from South Africa.

“[W]hat we should be teaching these young girls [is for them] to take up space,” the new Miss Universe stressed. “Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself.” (IAMIGO/CNS)