Trans activist buys Miss Universe Organization for about 20 million US dollars
The Miss Universe Organization, and with it the Miss Universe pageant, will evolve in the coming years. The reason: Trans activist Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip bought the brand for around 20 million US dollars. Accordingly, a different, fresh wind could soon be blowing here. The buyer has already announced that the brand is to be developed further for the next generation.
The plans are accordingly ambitious. And among other things, the community should be pleased that Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip proves that queerness and a successful business do not have to be mutually exclusive. On the contrary!
What happened?
The purchase of the Miss Universe Organization went through for a considerable sum of 20 million US dollars. The company has existed since the early 1950s. Even then, it organized the beauty contest, which has enjoyed great international popularity ever since. More than 160 countries witness the search for the "prettiest woman in the universe" every time.
Now things could change with regard to the competition. Because: The brand was bought by the well-known trans activist Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip. She has been in the media world for a long time and has already been involved in the show "Project Runway" in Thailand, among other things. While television is obviously one of her passions, it is not her profession. She actually works for the JKN Global Group and co-founded the "Life Inspired for Transsexual Foundation". This is a foundation that advocates for the rights of transgender people. With regard to the fact that genders are more and more broken up in today's time and also because more and more trans people stand up for their rights and more equality, the purchase seems all the more authentic. Because: Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip wants to make a difference.
What's next for the Miss Universe Organization?
In a recent press release, Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip said she was honored to take over the Miss Universe Organization. At the same time, she said, they are working with a "visionary leadership team." She sees the internationality of the brand, as well as the international relationships and the many different contents, as an addition to her own portfolio.
The goal is to continue the legacy and to offer a platform to personalities with "different backgrounds, cultures and traditions. In this way, the Miss Universe Organization can be further developed for the next generation.
However, the first developments in the direction of a more queer-friendly orientation of the competition were already evident in 2018, when the candidate who entered the race for Spain was the first transgender candidate to participate.
Are Miss elections still in keeping with the times?
This is a question that is discussed again and again in this day and age. While some people are of the opinion that it is more than sexist to "rate" people who appear in swimwear, among other things, others take the view that major beauty contests such as the Miss Universe contest are a kind of "cultural asset" that must be preserved.
However, a look at the recent past shows that the conditions under which the competition takes place are by no means set in stone. For example, it has been shown time and again in the past that - as unbelievable as it may sound to some - more emphasis has been placed on inner values after all. And who knows? Perhaps, due to the influence of Jakapong "Anne" Jakrajutatip, the community will be represented even more in the future?
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