The Miss Universe 2023 pageant has arrived.
The global competition will occur on Saturday in El Salvador, where 84 women will compete for the coveted title. R'Bonney Gabriel, who snagged the title of Miss Universe 2022 and became embroiled in a rigging scandal, will crown the winner. This year's competition is set to be the most inclusive Miss Universe pageant yet, with mothers, married women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and a plus-size model among the contestants.
Organizers announced mothers and married women could enter the competition in August 2022, while transgender contestants were permitted to compete in April 2012. In recent years, there have also been calls for Miss Universe to become more body-inclusive.
These contestants are fighting to make the Miss Universe pageant more inclusive. Take a look.