Thai tycoon and transgender rights advocate buys Miss Universe for $20 million - CNN

CNN  — 

A Thai media tycoon and transgender rights advocator has bought the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million, according to her company, which volition present big the planetary quality pageant.

Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip is the CEO of JKN Global Group PCL, a Thailand-based media organisation company, though she’s possibly amended known for her relation successful Thai versions of world shows including “Project Runway.”

She has besides been outspoken astir her experiences arsenic a transgender woman, and has worked successful advocacy for transgender rights successful Thailand.

JKN Global Group announced the takeover connected Wednesday, saying successful a quality merchandise it planned to turn the Miss Universe Organization by expanding successful Asia – and releasing caller merchandise including tegument care, cosmetics, manner products, dietary supplements and drinks.

Jakkaphong said the institution was “incredibly honored” to marque the acquisition.

“We question not lone to proceed its bequest of providing a level to passionate individuals from divers backgrounds, cultures, and traditions, but besides to germinate the marque for the adjacent generation,” she said.

In a associated statement, the CEO and president of the Miss Universe Organization said they were “excited to proceed the improvement of the Miss Universe Organization with JKN.”

“Our progressive attack continues to presumption america astatine the forefront of our industry,” they said.

The acquisition makes Jakkaphong the archetypal pistillate proprietor of the Miss Universe Organization, according to the JKN quality release.

The Miss Universe quality contest, 1 of the world’s most-watched pageants, has been moving since 1952.

Like galore different large pageants, it has had to reckon with increasing nationalist request for greater diversity, practice and inclusivity implicit the past decade. It lone lifted its prohibition connected transgender contestants successful 2012, aft a Canadian rival threatened ineligible enactment erstwhile told she would beryllium disqualified owed to her assigned enactment astatine birth.

And though immoderate critics reason the premise of a quality pageant is inherently flawed, others accidental determination has been important advancement successful caller years.

Beauty pageants for transgender contestants person risen successful prominence, astir notably Miss International Queen, launched successful 2004 and held this twelvemonth successful Thailand. Some countries person launched their ain versions; successful 2017, India held its first-ever Miss Transqueen India pageant, which aims to observe sex fluidity and rise visibility for India’s transgender community.

And successful 2019, the winners of 5 large pageants – Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss America, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA – were each women of color, a singular milestone fixed achromatic women weren’t allowed to vie successful Miss America until the 1940s, and the archetypal achromatic contestant didn’t instrumentality that signifier until 30 years later.