<p>Miss South Africa was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday in Atlanta after a lavish ceremony filled with glitter and heartfelt speeches about female empowerment.</p>.<p>Zozibini Tunzi, 26, finished first ahead of the Puerto Rican and Mexican finalists in a flashy televised event, hosted by American comic turned TV personality Steve Harvey.</p>.<p>Television personalities Vanessa Lachey and Olivia Culpo served as backstage commentators, and a panel of seven women determined the winner.</p>.<p>Tunzi earned cheers during her closing speech, a new segment of the competition, in which she talked about wanting to empower young women to feel confident.</p>.<p>"I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful," she said.</p>.<p>"I think that it is time that that stops today," she said to thunderous applause.</p>.<p>Tunzi beat more than 90 contestants from around the globe in the 68th instalment of Miss Universe, which was held in Atlanta's Tyler Perry Studios.</p>.<p>The two favorites ahead of the competition, Miss Thailand Paweensuda Saetan-Drouin and Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados, did not make it to the final 10.</p>.<p>The Philippines' Catriona Gray, who presented Tunzi with the crown, took home the Miss Universe crown in 2018.</p>.<p>Although she did not make the finals, Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet made waves last week when she came out as the competition's first openly gay contestant.</p>.<p>"I have that platform that, if I say that I'm a lesbian, it will have a big impact on the LGBTQ community back in Burma," Htet told People magazine, using her country's historic name.</p>.<p>Homosexuality is illegal in the Southeast Asian country and is punishable by up to life in prison.</p>.<p>In 2018, the competition also featured Miss Spain Angela Ponce, who blazed a trail as Miss Universe's first transgender contestant.</p>.<p>But the pageant has had a controversial past. Multiple contestants have alleged that US President Donald Trump would regularly enter the competitors' changing room while he owned the organization from 1996-2015.</p>.<p>Additionally, Miss Universe continues to host the swimsuit competition, which has drawn criticism for objectifying the contestants, although that part of the pageant was not televised.</p>
<p>Miss South Africa was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday in Atlanta after a lavish ceremony filled with glitter and heartfelt speeches about female empowerment.</p>.<p>Zozibini Tunzi, 26, finished first ahead of the Puerto Rican and Mexican finalists in a flashy televised event, hosted by American comic turned TV personality Steve Harvey.</p>.<p>Television personalities Vanessa Lachey and Olivia Culpo served as backstage commentators, and a panel of seven women determined the winner.</p>.<p>Tunzi earned cheers during her closing speech, a new segment of the competition, in which she talked about wanting to empower young women to feel confident.</p>.<p>"I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful," she said.</p>.<p>"I think that it is time that that stops today," she said to thunderous applause.</p>.<p>Tunzi beat more than 90 contestants from around the globe in the 68th instalment of Miss Universe, which was held in Atlanta's Tyler Perry Studios.</p>.<p>The two favorites ahead of the competition, Miss Thailand Paweensuda Saetan-Drouin and Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados, did not make it to the final 10.</p>.<p>The Philippines' Catriona Gray, who presented Tunzi with the crown, took home the Miss Universe crown in 2018.</p>.<p>Although she did not make the finals, Miss Myanmar Swe Zin Htet made waves last week when she came out as the competition's first openly gay contestant.</p>.<p>"I have that platform that, if I say that I'm a lesbian, it will have a big impact on the LGBTQ community back in Burma," Htet told People magazine, using her country's historic name.</p>.<p>Homosexuality is illegal in the Southeast Asian country and is punishable by up to life in prison.</p>.<p>In 2018, the competition also featured Miss Spain Angela Ponce, who blazed a trail as Miss Universe's first transgender contestant.</p>.<p>But the pageant has had a controversial past. Multiple contestants have alleged that US President Donald Trump would regularly enter the competitors' changing room while he owned the organization from 1996-2015.</p>.<p>Additionally, Miss Universe continues to host the swimsuit competition, which has drawn criticism for objectifying the contestants, although that part of the pageant was not televised.</p>