Anne Jakrajutatip ushers in new era for Miss Universe: 'Run by women, owned by transwomen, for all women'

Miss Universe owner Anne Jakrajutatip delivered an impactful speech on Sunday to usher in a new era for the prestigious pageant.

Stepped into the international pageant stage for the very first time, Jakrajutatip said that it's about time that women "take the lead" after 70 years of the Miss Universe Organization being run by men.

"Welcome to the new era of the global women's empowerment platform. Welcome to the Miss Universe Organization," she said during the coronation night held at New Orleans, USA.

"From now on, it's gonna be run by women, owned by transwomen, for all women around the world to celebrate the power of feminism, diverse cultures, social inclusion, gender equality, creativity, a force for good, and the beauty of humanity," Jakrajutatip added.

The Miss Universe owner also shared her struggles as a transwoman, which motivated her to power through and reached a point where she can use her experience to influence others to achieve their dreams.

"When I was born as a transwoman, [I was] bullied and sexually harassed by my own teacher when I was young. But guess what? I chose not to surrender. I turned pain into power, and I turned life lesson into wisdom," she said.

"This stage called [the] Miss Universe competition, we can elevate our women to feel strong enough, good enough, qualified enough, and never be objectified again," she added.

Faithful to its aim to better the format and shake things up in the international pageant, the 71st Miss Universe spotlighted the advocacy of the Top 16 candidates through their VTRs.

Meanwhile, before the announcement of the Top 5, the pageant paid tribute to the late Miss USA 2019, Cheslie Kyrst, with her mom April Simpkins sharing the story of her daughter, who suffered from depression.

Last year, Miss Universe also made several changes on the eligibility rules of candidates, allowing married women and those with children to participate in the pageant.

Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe 2022, followed by Venezuela's Amanda Dudamel as first runner-up and the Dominican Republic's Andreina Martínez Founier as second runner-up.

Philippine bet Celeste Cortesi ended her Miss Universe journey early after missing the Top 16.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News