End Of The Year Review 2025
PAGEANTRY has always thrived on spectacle, tradition, and the promise of purpose. Yet in 2025, that promise was tested like never before. The Miss Universe brand - long considered the gold standard of international pageantry - became entangled in a series of scandals and controversies that challenged its credibility and moral authority. Fans were equally disturbed by the tempestuous relationship between the Miss Grand International organization and its original winner. Even minor pageants had taken a front seat due to allegations of fraud. Beyond the headlines, these moments sparked a broader reckoning within the pageant community about leadership, transparency, and the true meaning of empowerment. This year-end review reflects on the pivotal events that defined pageantry in 2025 and explores whether the industry is prepared to evolve - or risk losing the trust of the very women it claims to uplift.
Miss Universe 2023 judge Denise White accuses Anne Jakrajutatip of trying to rig pageant results. In a post on the Instagram page of Road to Miss USA on February 22, White recalled the time when Shugart stepped down in 2023 because Jakrajutatip “had been pressuring Paula saying, ‘no matter what, Thailand must make top 5.'”
“Paula [Shugart] kept telling Anne that MUO can have a say in who makes it out of prelims but has no say in what the judges do at the finals. Anne kept insisting she could do something, part of the reason Paula left (although there are other reasons which might come out someday) she kept telling Anne that she refused to be a part of any of those scenarios where something would not be fair or ethical,” shared White, 1994 Miss Oregon USA and now a public relations practitioner handling high-profile athletes and celebrities.
She also shared that Jakrajutatip screamed in anger at then-MUO CEO Amy Emmerich before the post-coronation press conference because Porsild did not win.
White's testimony is just the tip of the iceberg. As the year progressed, more and more scandals plague MUO until it reached the breaking point - the alleged fraudulent victory of Mexico's Fatima Bosch who was crowned Miss Universe 2025 on November 21 in Thailand. For a comprehensive chronology of events related to the Miss Universe Drama in 2025, visit this link.
DETHRONEMENTS & REJECTIONS
On January 2, 2025, MUO released a statement announcing that Magali Benejam, Miss Universe Argentina 2024, has been stripped of her title after making public comments that go against MUO’s philosophy of diversity, inclusion and respect.
On December 19, 2024, Magalí appeared on a live YouTube broadcast with content creator King Lucho, where she spoke candidly about her experiences in the 2024 Miss Universe pageant. Her remarks, which included criticism of fellow contestants and the organization, quickly stirred controversy. Magali alleged that Miss Universe Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig’s win had been rigged, that Victoria had slept with Raúl Rocha Cantú, and that the representatives from the Dominican Republic, Canada and Denmark didn’t belong in the top 12 – without providing any proof of her allegations.
"When they announced the Top 5, I saw the judges looking at each other in [strange] ways,” Benejam claimed according to a translation by the Latin Times. “They started looking at each other as if to say, ‘This is not what we chose, this is not what I chose.’ That’s what it felt like from the outside and that’s where I said, ‘OK, this is fixed.’ It was always fixed, every year.”
On May 25, Miss England 2024 Milla Magee withdrew from the 72nd edition of Miss World that was taking place in Telangana, India. She quit because she felt that the organizers were exploiting her and making her feel ‘like a prostitute’. Miss World organizers responded with a statement in which they referred to “false and defamatory statements” that they said were “completely unfounded and inconsistent with the reality of her time with us”. Miss World Organization posted a video of Magee enjoying a dinner along side local sponsors.
On October 25, 2024, Rachel Gupta became the first Indian woman to be crowned Miss Grand International. However, on May 28, 2025, she stepped down from her position citing issues with MGI Organization. MGI President Nawat Itsaragrisil posted on the organization's social media platforms that Rachel was dethroned 2024 failing to fulfill her duties. A day later, Rachel released a video on her YouTube channel to talk about her experience with MGI, blaming the organization for its toxic environment among other things. On June 4, MGI Organization updated its Facebook cover photo by erasing Rachel Gupta as the winner and replacing her with the first runner-up CJ Opiaza.
On June 2, the Miss Universe Germany organization, whose president is Kim Kelly Braun (Miss Grand Germany 2022) released a statement dethroning Miss Universe Germany 2023 Helena Marlen Bleicher allegedly for disrespecting and defaming the organization. However on June 4, MUO released a statement condemning the illegal dethronement of Bleicher, stating after exhaustive investigation that she has never made any defamatory remarks against MUO. As a result, Bleicher's title was reinstated and the German national director Braun has been fired.
On June 5, Miss North Florida 2025 Kayleigh Bush has been stripped of her title because she refused to sign a Miss America contract that falsely defines “female” to include castrated males. Bush was crowned in August 2024 and stripped of the title in November after objecting to the false definition as contrary to her religious beliefs and Florida law.
On June 6, Miss Grand France 2024 Safiétou Kabengele posted a video announcing her decision to resign from her third runner-up position due to MGIO’s failure to communicate with her. On June 9, MGIO posted the updated top 10 results of the 2024 contest, moving up Malaysia, Curaçao and Colombia to top 10 and as 5th runners-up. Kabengele would later produce a comprehensive video sharing her MGI experience and warning potential contestants about the ugly side of pageantry.
On July 8, Valeria Mendez resigned as Miss Earth Puerto Rico citing lack of necessary tools to represent Puerto Rico Internationally. She blames the Miss Earth Puerto Rico Organization. A day later, the organization released a statement saying that they cannot work with young women who lack commitment.
On July 15, Nyekachi Douglas, Miss World Nigeria 2019, posted a video on her social media explaining why she would not be participating in Miss Universe Nigeria 2025 pageant allegedly due to new rules from the Miss Universe Organization. Nyekachi competed in the 2024 nationals and there were no issues. The 2024 pageant was won by Chidimma Adetshina who went on to place second in Miss Universe 2024. Once Chidimma found out about Nyekachi’s unfortunate situation, she was quick to give words of encouragement to her friend. It seems that the organization had been leading Nyekachi on until she was told that she was no longer wanted.
On July 24, Casey de Vries, Mister International Netherlands 2025, stepped down from his title for personal reasons. De Vries had represented the Netherlands in Mister Supranational 2024 where he placed 1st runner-up.
On September 20, Midori Monet of USA was crowned Miss International Queen 2025 in Pattaya, Thailand. After placing second, Miss Cuba, Olivia Lauren, was asked in an onstage interview for her thoughts on getting first runner-up and expressed her disappointment about being passed over during a year when the theme was "beyond beauty, open possibilities."
"Throughout this competition, to say the least, I've been bullied, and I have been told I look like a man. I have been pushed. I have been thrown rocks at. And, well, it's a bit of a shock to see what's happened," Lauren said. "It is what it is, and we have to move forward." In another onstage interview, Lauren said Monet and the second runner-up, Miss Vietnam, mistreated her. "The two that you see standing next to me have made it impossible for me to enjoy 100% of it," she said, adding that her fellow contestants made the experience a "very sour" one. "They have tortured me throughout the whole thing, as well as my other sisters, making fun of us each and every single day."
On November 2, Germany’s Diana Fast, 33, withdraws from Miss Universe 2025 citing she would rather stay home to take care of her young son.
On November 18, Miss Universe Persia Sahar Biniaz posted a video explaining her reason why she is withdrawing from the Miss Universe pageant. She accused MUO of dumping women empowerment in favor of making more money.
On November 23, Brigitta Schaback resigned from her position as Miss Universe Estonia 2025 because her values and work ethics do not align with those of the national director Natalie Korneitsik. In an interview with Critical Beauty on December 11, Brigitta stated that she felt disillusioned and deceived by MUO for imposing false inclusion and that she did not feel comfortable being asked about her marital status (she is a married mother) because it was irrelevant to her ability to do the job as a titleholder.
On December 11, Miss Finland 2024, Sarah Dzafce, has been officially stripped of her crown after a resurfaced photo showed her making a racist gesture mocking Asian features. The image, circulated on Jodel, captured Dzafce pulling her eyes into a slanted shape with a caption translating to “eating with a Chinese person." Dzafce initially defended the photo, claiming she was rubbing her temples due to a severe headache. However, the Miss Finland Organization issued a firm statement declaring zero tolerance for racism or discriminatory behavior, released a public apology and confirmed that Dzafce’s title has been revoked. First runner-up Tara Lehtonen has been elevated to Miss Finland.
On December 15, Miss Universe Iceland 2025 Helena O'Connor posted a statement on her Instagram account announcing her resignation from her position due to conflict with her national organization. She was unable to compete in the finals of Miss Universe 2025 due to a long illness caused by food poisoning in Thailand. However, when she assured her organization that she was on the way to recovery and could compete, her organization had already withdrawn her participation without her knowledge.
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MEAN GIRL OF THE YEAR 2025
During a livestream, Miss Universe 1996 Alicia Machado from Venezuela criticized MGIO President Nawat Itsaragrisil's rude behavior towards Miss Mexico Fatima Bosch during a November 3rd press conference of Miss Universe 2025 in Thailand. Alicia used racist language, referring to him as “that despicable Chinese.” When a viewer tried to correct her, Machado responded that “everyone with slanted eyes,” whether Chinese, Thai, or Korean, is “Chinese” to her. She even pulled at the corners of her eyes on camera to mock Asians. She also questioned why Miss Universe was being held in Thailand, making derogatory comments about the country. On November 7, former Miss World Jacqueline Aguilera criticized Alicia for her anti-Asian racist remarks, making Jacqueline the first major titleholder to condemn Alicia. Jacqueline posted on her Instagram in Spanish: "Se le fue la mano sobre todo al referirse de un bello pais como Tailandia. Que grosera." Translation in English: "She went too far especially when referring to a beautiful country like Thailand. How rude."
Alicia faced another backlash after claiming that the two most recent Venezuelan Miss Universe winners were “damas de compañía,” meaning escorts, for then pageant owner Donald Trump, who is now U.S. president. Alicia made these remarks during a livestream on social media on December 9. She spoke against other beauty queens while defending Fatima Bosch.
She said she was threatened with losing her crown for being “fat,” “crazy,” and “rebellious,” but claimed the real reason was that she did not sleep with Trump. She added that she was not a “pageant attendant” like the last two Venezuelan Miss Universe winners and made remarks linking them to religious fanaticism. Although some people initially thought she was referring to Dayana Mendoza (Miss Universe 2008) and Stefania Fernández (Miss Universe 2009), Machado later clarified in another livestream that she meant Dayana Mendoza and Gabriela Isler (Miss Universe 2013).
On June 16, Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera walked out of Miss Universe Latina 2025 reality show, accusing the judges of giving harsh comments to her and her Team Ruby. She also stated that none of the three judges had pageant experience and that they were favoring Team Esmeralda whose captain is Miss Universe 1996 Alicia Machado. Zuleyka was replaced by Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza.
On June 21, Willow Newell became the first black woman to win Miss Wisconsin.
On June 30, Merince Kogoya, a Miss Indonesia contestant has been removed from the pageant after a video showing her waving the Israeli flag went viral, sparking backlash in a country that has long stood in solidarity with Palestine. Kogoya who was set to represent the province of Highland Papua at the Miss Indonesia finals on July 9, was dropped from the competition the previous week after the video from May 2023 gained traction on social media.
On July 8, Lina Luaces crowned Miss Universe Cuba 2025 in Hialeah, Florida. Her mother is Univision presenter Lili Estefan whose uncle is world-class musician Emilio Estefan, the other half of Miami Sound Machine that also comprises his wife, Gloria Estefan. Some fans suspect that Lina won due to her family's influence.
On July 20, Laura Perez, who is one of the top 10 finalists of the reality show Miss Universe Latina, representing Cuba, suffered a serious injury during a challenge that required her to jump to grab the crown hanging from the high ceiling and to face her fear of heights. Not only did she fail to grab the crown but she also fell and landed hard on her heels, injuring herself. The host summoned for a medical doctor to check out on Laura.
On July 21, Yamilex Hernández was crowned as the first Miss Universe Latina who will represent the U.S. Latino community at the 74th edition of Miss Universe® in Thailand. She is Dominican who lives in New Jersey.
On July 25, Italy Mora, who was Miss Universe Panama 2024 and disqualified from competing in Miss Universe 2024 after she was discovered entering her boyfriend’s hotel room (which is against MU rules), has been appointed as Panama’s representative to Miss Cosmo 2025.
On August 2, Miss Universe Dominican Republic 2022 Andreina Martinez broke her silence on Zuleika Viera’s podcast. Andreina placed 2nd runner-up in Miss Universe 2022. Andreina said that she had distanced herself from her former manager and national director Magali Febles, but without naming Magali. Andreina claims that her reign has been miserable due to the demanding contract and the mistreatment she had received from her management and the organization.
On August 23, on her fourth try, Praveenar (Veena) Singh has finally won Miss Universe Thailand 2025 representing the city of Saraburi. Veena initially competed in the national pageant in 2018 where she placed second runner-up. She came back in 2020 as first runner-up and in 2023 as second runner-up. Her 2025 win is significant as she became the first Miss Universe Thailand who is of Indian descent. Born in Chiang Mai, Thailand on April 16, 1996 to Indian parents, Veena later became a naturalized Thai citizen.
When Midori Monet (Miss USA) was crowned Miss International Queen 2025 on September 20 in Pattaya, Thailand, video clips from the finale showed the other contestants largely ignoring Monet’s win and instead celebrating and surrounding Olivia Lauren (Miss Cuba), the first runner-up, on stage. This unusual reaction drew widespread attention and criticism online. Many viewers interpreted the behavior as disrespectful and racially charged, given that Monet is a Black trans woman, and that contestants appeared much more enthusiastic toward Lauren.
In interviews immediately after the announcement, Olivia openly expressed disappointment about not winning the crown. She stated that she felt shocked and confused because the pageant theme was “beyond beauty, open possibilities,” and that she had endured “bullying” during the competition — including being teased about her appearance and told she “looked like a man.” She also criticized both Midori Monet and Miss Vietnam when asked about them, saying that they had made her experience “very sour” and accusing them of mistreatment.
After these comments circulated, many people online turned criticism back on Olivia, saying she herself came across as the antagonist or as someone unwilling to gracefully accept the outcome. Critics argued she should have congratulated the winner rather than focusing on negative aspects of her own experience. Following widespread backlash, Olivia issued a public apology acknowledging that her initial remarks may have been misunderstood and expressing respect for Monet and other contestants. She said she regretted speaking publicly before having direct conversations with them, and noted that they had since discussed things more openly.
On November 20, the New York Post published a scathing article - based on an exhaustive investigation - which exposes the truth about Nadeen Ayoub, the woman who represented the fictitious country of Palestine in Miss Universe 2025 held in Thailand on November 21. The article exposes Ayoub's secret life. Before competing in her first pageant, Miss Miss Earth 2022, she had married Sharaf Barghouti — the son of the infamous Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti serving five life sentences in Israel for orchestrating terror attacks that killed five people in 2001 and 2002 — and later had a son they named after the convicted terrorist. It appears that Ayoub did not disclose her status as a married mother when she competed in Miss Earth which does not allow mothers or married women. And neither did she disclose her real status when she signed up for Miss Universe. The article also reported that Ayoub never won a Miss Palestine contest and that she actually runs a Miss Palestine Organization based in Dubai and crowned herself Miss Universe Palestine 2025.
On November 26, during the finals of Miss Environment International 2025 held in the Philippines on Peruvian delegate Tina Torres interrupted the show when she failed to advance to the Top 12. There were 17 contestants and the crown was won by the Philippines for the second year in a row. Already wearing casual clothes and carrying her suitcase, the disgruntled contestant stood in front of the stage and screamed at the audience supposedly to protest her snub from the semifinals. Security personnel later escorted her out of the venue. On Instagram, Torres continued with her tirade, saying “she cannot sit around idly by while they are literally enslaving us before our eyes,” apparently referring to carbon footprint by big corporations, which she had previously lambasted on her social platforms as precursor to “global slavery.”
MAJOR & MINOR VICTORIES IN 2025
(This list only includes pageants for teenagers and adults. If a pageant system has multiple age divisions, only the teen and adult winners are considered).
January 11 - Miss Tourism World, China edition - Brazil - Isabelle Queiroz
February 9 - Reina Hispanoamericana - Philippines - Dia Maté
February 28 - Miss Teenager Universe - Australia - Helena Ristevski
February 28 - Mister Teenager Universe - Indonesia - Rafiansyah Iqbal
March 1 - Miss Mesoamerica International - Colombia - Olga Alvarez
March 1 - Mister Mesoamerica International - Peru - Nicolas Ortega Luna
March 9 - Miss Global - Vietnam - Nguyễn Đình Như Vân
March 16 - Miss Tourism Worldwide - Benelux - Joyce Tuijaerts
March 31 - Miss Trans Global - Italy - Laura Pereira
April 19 - Miss Eco International - Philippines - Alexie Brooks
May 3 - Wonderful Teen International - Mexico - Angela Giselle Rosales Garza
May 10 - Miss Petite Global - Belarus - Anita Kurkach
May 11 - Miss Elite Global - Philippines - Francine Gabrielle Tajanlangit
May 11 - Miss Queen of the World - Philippines - Rein Gonzalez
May 23 - Miss Orient Tourism Global - Philippines - Patricia Bangug
May 23 - Miss Aura International - Philippines - Krishan Pauline Alerre
May 31 - Miss World - Thailand - Opal Suchata Chuangsri
May 31 - Man of the World - Spain – Juul Missiaen
June 2 - Top Model of the World - Colombia - Natalia Garizabal
June 3 - Miss Grand International 2024 - Philippines - Christine CJ Opiaza (Opiaza was first runner-up to Rachel Gupta who was dethroned on May 28)
June 10 - Manhunt International - France - Adonis Renaud
June 14 - Mister Fitness Supermodel - Sri Lanka - Vishmitha Divjanya
June 14 - Miss Fitness Supermodel - Canada - Mildred Rincón
June 15 - Miss Teen Model International - South Africa - Pearl Mathebula
June 22 - Mister National Universe - Puerto Rico - Dylan de Jesús Rodriguez
June 22 - Mister Model International - Thailand - Jack Titus
June 27 - Miss Supranational - Brazil - Eduarda Braum
June 28 - Mister Supranational - France - Swann Lavigne
July 6 - Miss Sudamerica Global - Philippines - Joelle Devine Uy
July 27 - Miss Teen Mundial - Colombia - Valentina Navarro
Aug. 10 - Universal Woman - Puerto Rico - Ivana Carolina
Aug. 20 - Mister Earth International - Chile - Jonathan Lillo Bequer
Sept. 1 - Miss Teen International - Spain - Lorena Ruiza
Sept. 20 - Miss International Queen - USA - Midori Monet
Sept. 25 - Mister International - Philippines - Kirk Bondad
Oct. 4 - Miss Global International - Cayman Islands - Raven McTaggart
Oct. 5 - Mister Tourism Universe - Philippines - Aries Ronie Patis
Oct. 5 - Mister Global - Spain - Alejandro Ortega
Oct. 8 - Miss Asia Pacific International - Brazil - Isabela Fernandes
Oct. 11 - Caballero Universal - Venezuela - Franco Daniel Cova
Oct. 15 - The Miss Globe - Thailand - Chayathanus Saradatta
Oct. 18 - Miss Teen Universe by Brayhan Guerrero/Freddie Medina - Venezuela - Amira Moreno
Oct. 18 - Miss Grand International - Philippines - Emma Tiglao
Oct. 18 - Miss Tourism International - Poland - Zuzanna Balonek
Subsidiary Titles:
Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International - Philippines - Christine Eds Enero
Miss Tourism Metropolitan International - China - Doris Bai
Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan International - Colombia - Andrea Pineda
Miss Tourism Global - Kenya - Mitchelle Otieno
Miss South East Asia Tourism Ambassadress - Vietnam -Tan Sanh Vy Vo
Dreamgirl of the Year International - Thailand - Sasicha Duangket
Oct. 31 - Miss Eco Teen International - Venezuela - Itzel Huerta
Nov. 5 - Miss Earth - Czech Republic - Natálie Puškinová
Nov. 16 - Miss Universe - Mexico - Fatima Bosch (questionable win, not recognized by most pageant fans and experts)
Nov. 27 - Miss International - Colombia - Catalina Duque
Nov. 28 - Mister Glam International - Thailand - Thanaphat " Neil " Petchpraphai
Nov. 30 - Face of Beauty International - Philippines - Nikki Buenafe Cheveh
Dec. 1 - Mr. Gay World - Italy - Julio Spatola
Dec. 5 - Man Hot Star International - South Korea - No Seung Hyeok
Dec. 5 - Miss Trans Star International - Mexico - Khloe Rios-Wyatt
Dec. 10 - Miss Scuba International - Czech Republic - Anna Dvorakova
Dec. 12 - Miss Charm - Venezuela - Anna Blanco
Dec. 14 - Mister Friendship International - Thailand - Niwat Naknuan
Dec. 20 - Miss Cosmo - USA - Yolinda Lindquist
Dec. 21 - Miss Celebrity International - Vietnam - Tran Tran My Linh
Dec. 21 - Mister Celebrity International - Philippines - Marck Marasigan
Based on this compilation, we see that the Philippines has won the most number of titles - 13, making it as the most successful country in 2025 pageantry. If you think that I may have missed some titles, please let me know by writing to me at criticalbeauty@aol.com
IN MEMORIAM
January 29 - A civil rights attorney and former Beauty pageant winner is among those killed in the horror crash between a passenger plane and Army helicopter in Washington, D.C. Kiah Duggins was a former Miss Kansas contestant and was placed in the top 10 of the Miss Butler County 2014 - 2015 pageant. She was 30.
Feb. 17 - Kadance Fredericksen, the former winner of the Miss Okaloosa County Teen USA title, died after a traffic collision in Florida. “When I was little, I was abused and neglected by my biological mother and stepfather. During those times, the only thing I had to call my own was a stuffed animal I received as a gift years beforehand. Now that I’m in a safe home with a safe family, I learned I wasn’t the only kid that went through that,” Fredericksen told WCJB last year. She was only 18.
June 1 - Maria Lorena Argüello Salazar, a finalist in Miss Universe Ecuador 2024, died mysteriously at the age of 28. To this date, the cause of her death has not been confirmed.
June 9 - It was announced that Patricia Fuenmayor, a former Miss Venezuela 1997 finalist and winner of Reina Hispanoamericana 1997, lost her battle to cancer at age 51.
Aug. 12 - Miss Russia 2017 Kseniya Alexandrova died from head injuries following car crash with an elk. She was 30.
Sept. 9 - Christelle Somtochukwu (Sommie) Maduagwu, who was an anchor and producer for Nigerian news channel Arise News, jumped and fell three stories in an attempt to evade armed robbers, according to police, per The Mirror, The Sun and Vanguard Nigeria. She was found unconscious on the ground below and rushed to the hospital, but ultimately succumbed to her injuries, per the outlets. She was 29. She participated in and won the Miss Tourism Nigeria pageant and represented Nigeria at the Miss Tourism World pageant in Quanzhou, China, in 2023.
Sept. 23 - Tyra Spaulding, a finalist in Miss Universe Jamaica 2023, was found dead in her apartment. She had committed suicide. She was allegedly discovered hanging in her bedroom by her relatives. She was 26.
Aug. 20 - Norma Nolan, Miss Universe 1962 from Argentina, passed away. She was 87. Norma was the first and only Argentine woman to be crowned Miss Universe. After her reign, Norma led a totally private life, eschewing interviews and did not talk about her past experience. This explains why there is hardly any information about her life after her reign.
Oct. 23 - June Lockhart, an American actress, began her film career in the 1930s and 1940s in films such as A Christmas Carol and Meet Me in St. Louis. She appeared primarily in 1950s and 1960s television and with performances on stage and in film. She became most widely known for her work on two television series, Lassie and Lost in Space, in which she played mother roles. She appeared as a hostess for CBS broadcasts of the Miss USA Pageant and of Miss Universe Pageant for six years from 1966 to 1971. She was 100.
Dec. 22 - Ieda Maria Vargas, the first Brazilian woman to win Miss Universe in 1963, died in Brazil at the age of 80, just a few days before her birthday. Ieda’s victory opened doors for Brazilian models and beauty queens long before the country became a global powerhouse in fashion. She helped redefine what Brazilian beauty meant to the world, setting a standard that blended warmth, strength, and sophistication.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius
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