The pageant world is for some reason enraged by the new Miss France's... pixie haircut?

• Eve Gilles made history on Saturday as the first woman to win Miss France with a pixie haircut.
• She celebrated her win for "diversity," but some claimed Miss France was trying to be "woke."

Following a year of historic firsts at Miss Universe, Eve Gilles became the first woman with a pixie haircut to win Miss France in its 103-year history.

Gilles celebrated her moment as a win for "diversity" after she took the crown on Saturday night, but she soon became the target of criticism by viewers who claimed Miss France was trying to be "woke" by giving her the title.

French politicians have since come to Gilles' defense as people debated her appearance on social media, highlighting the intense scrutiny that pageant contestants still face in 2023.

A spokesperson for the Miss Universe competition also defended Gilles, telling Business Insider that "there is no one way to be Miss Universe or Miss France" and noting that the current Miss Universe, Sheynnis Palacios, also has a shorter haircut.

"At this year's Miss Universe, we saw personal styles and hair of all types, and we love it," the organization said in a statement on Monday. "Short, long, curly — we embrace every look that comes across our stage. We represent the times, and being your confident, unique self is the one thing we see being reflected in all of our winners."

Gilles and the Miss France organization did not respond to a request for comment.

Eve Gilles wanted to prove that a woman's beauty isn't determined by her hair

Gilles, 20, didn't set out to make history when she cut her long hair years ago.

The pageant queen first discussed her hair while competing at the Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais competition, which she won before competing at Miss France, MailOnline reported.

"It brought something out of me, it changed me and makes me appear more like a strong woman," Gilles said during the competition, according to the outlet. "This is what I want to show."

Gilles also spoke about her decision to cut her hair in an interview with the French news site La Voix du Nord (The Voice of the North) following her Miss France win.

"I cut my hair first for myself," she said. "I see myself as a strong, determined woman, regardless of the length of my hair."

Gilles, who is currently studying mathematics and computer science, decided to apply for her first pageant after some encouragement from her grandfather, according to MailOnline.

During the Miss France competition, which was watched by 7.5 million viewers, Gilles said she wanted to prove that both the pageant and society are evolving — and that a woman's beauty wasn't limited to her hair or the shape of her body, The Telegraph reported.

"We're used to seeing beautiful Misses with long hair, but I chose an androgynous look with short hair," she said. "Every woman is different, we're all unique."

While many celebrated Gilles' historic win, it still stirred up controversy from those who tried to make Miss France part of the ongoing culture wars.

"Miss France is no longer a beauty contest but a woke contest which is based on inclusiveness," one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Other users criticized Gilles' body, wrote that she "doesn't look anything like Miss France," and claimed she was "instilling wokist values into society," according to MailOnline.

French politician Sandrine Rousseau defended Gilles on Sunday, writing on X: "I'm shocked by the comments on #MissFrance2024. Our hair, and what we do with it, how we style it, is none of men's business. Point."

Karima Delli, a member of the European Parliament, also rose to Gilles' defense.

"Big support for Ève Gilles, #MissFrance2024, in the face of hateful tweets on social networks of incredible violence!" Delli wrote on X. "Swallow your venom, she is not only superb, Miss Nord pas de Calais is intelligent in embracing her diversity!"

Short hair has been rare at Miss Universe, but the pageant is becoming more diverse

Gilles won't be the first woman to compete at Miss Universe with a pixie haircut, although the crown has only been won by a short-haired contestant a handful of times in its 72-year history.

The last woman to win Miss Universe with a pixie haircut was Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi, who became the first woman with natural afro-textured hair to take the title when she was crowned in 2019.

During an interview with BI following her win, Tunzi said many people tried to persuade her to wear a wig during the competition.

"I was like, 'No, you know what, I'm going to do it the way I am, because I've been with my natural hair for the past three years,"' Tunzi said. "I don't see why I should change it just because I'm stepping into another platform."

Tunzi said she wanted to compete and show women that "beauty can be anything."

"I'm saying beauty does not look one certain way," she said. "I'm telling women, you can be beautiful too if you want to. You can stand up and say, 'I'm beautiful the way that I am, with the shape that I am, with the skin color that I have, with the freckles that I have.'"

The most recent Miss Universe, held in El Salvador on November 18, featured the most diverse top 20 in the competition's history.

Miss Portugal Marina Machete became the first trans woman to place in the top 20, while Miss Nepal Jane Garrett, who also placed, became the first plus-sized contestant to ever compete at Miss Universe.

The top 20 also featured Erica Robin, the first Miss Pakistan to compete at Miss Universe, as well as Miss Colombia Camila Avella, the first married woman and mother to place at the competition since the rules changed in August 2022.

Gilles will compete at the next Miss Universe in September 2024.