60-year-old Mrs. Buenos Aires Foresees Transformation as Miss Universe Journey Wraps Up
As Alejandra Rodriguez concludes her Miss Universe journey, she believes it marks the beginning of a societal shift towards new perspectives and ideals. Her remarkable experience serves as a catalyst for change and empowerment.
A 60-year-old beauty queen from Argentina, Alejandra Rodriguez, recently competed for Miss Universe. Although her journey in the competition has ended, she believes it has sparked a positive change in how society views age and beauty.
In April, Alejandra made global headlines by winning the title of Miss Buenos Aires. This achievement made her the first contestant in her sixties to win a competition held by the Miss Universe franchise.
She couldn't win Miss Argentina on Saturday, but she did receive the "best face" award. Even though she couldn't represent her country in Miss Universe, she sees this as a positive change in beauty standards.
Rodriguez, who works as a lawyer and journalist, expressed her thoughts to CNN en Español. She believes this win marks the beginning of a shift in how beauty is perceived.
"I hope my participation in this event will be a turning point. While I believe that outer beauty often takes center stage, I also feel that the definition of beauty should be broadened," she expressed.
Rodriguez's entry into the competition was made possible thanks to a change in the Miss Universe organization's age requirements.
In a screengrab taken from a video, Chelsea Manalo is crowned as Miss Universe Philippines.
In a screengrab taken from a video, Chelsea Manalo is crowned as Miss Universe Philippines.
Empire TV Philippines/ YouTube
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Starting from 2024, contestants can now compete in Miss Universe Philippines without any age restrictions. Before that, contestants had to be between 18 and 28 years old as of January 1 of the competition year.
She expressed her belief that the change was positive, acknowledging that all changes take time to adjust to. She also expressed gratitude for being given the opportunity to be a trailblazer.
The elimination of the age limit was part of a larger set of rule changes implemented by the pageant in 2023 with the goal of bringing a more modern approach.
For the first time in over 70 years, the franchise has allowed married or divorced women, as well as those who have children or are expecting.
"It's amazing to see women breaking barriers. We had a 40-year-old and a 37-year-old competing. The limits are definitely expanding," Rodriguez shared. "We even had mothers participating, which was unheard of in Miss Universe before."
Rodriguez mentioned that stereotypes about beauty, age, shape, and weight were starting to shift, despite not being chosen to represent her country.
The champion of the competition was Magalí Benejam, who, at 29 years old, would have been considered too old to participate under the old regulations.
