Miss Philippines was crowned Miss Universe on Monday in Bangkok after a trailblazing ceremony praised for featuring its first transgender candidate but marred by remarks about the English-speaking ability of two Asian contestants.
Catriona Gray, 24, finished first ahead of the South African and Venezuelan finalists in the glittering televised event hosted by American comic turned TV host Steve Harvey and supermodel Ashley Graham.
Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers, 24, made it to the round of 20 semi-finalists despite the much criticized remarks she made about Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie and Miss Cambodia Rern Sina caught on video.
Miss Philippines Catriona Gray waves after she being crowned as the new Miss Universe
Catriona Gray, 24, a student of music theory, beat 90 contestants for the title
In the final round, Gray earned applause describing her work in the slums of the Philippine capital Manila and said if she won she would try to find areas ‘where I could give something, where I could provide something.’
She added she would work for a world ‘where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their face’.
Gray – a student of music theory – beat more than 90 contestants from around the globe in the 67th installment of Miss Universe, which was held in the Thai capital’s Impact Arena.
During the competition, which was broadcast live, candidates were asked questions on press freedom, legalisation of marijuana, refugees and the #MeToo movement.
This year’s event drew positive feedback for themes of inclusivity and an all-women panel of judges made up of business leaders and former Miss Universe titleholders.
Miss Spain’s Angela Ponce made history as the first transgender candidate in a competition once owned by President Donald Trump, whose administration has attempted to block military recruitment of transgender people.
Sarah Rose Summers, 24, made it to the round of 20 semi-finalists despite being criticized for remarks she made about Miss Vietnam and Miss Cambodia
Catriona Gray (right) of the Philippines speaks while host Steve Harvey (left) listens during the interview of top three finalists of the 2018 pageant
Catriona Gray mobbed by her fellow contestants after receiving the crown
‘I always say: having a vagina didn’t transform me into a woman. I am a woman, already before birth, because my identity is here,’ Ponce told AFP on Saturday, gesturing to her head.
She added she wanted her appearance to be empowering and said she hoped for a ‘new generation of human beings who are raised a lot better, more tolerant and respectful.’
But issues of tolerance and respect came center stage during the competition when Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers appeared to poke fun at Miss Vietnam and Miss Cambodia on social media for not being able to speak English.
Miss Spain’s Angela Ponce made history as the first transgender candidate in the Miss Universe competition
‘I always say: having a vagina didn’t transform me into a woman. I am a woman, already before birth, because my identity is here,’ Ponce told AFP
Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie (left) and Miss Cambodia Rern Sina (right) were referred to by Summers in a way that a popular Instagram account felt was xenophobic and condescending
Summers appeared in an Instagram Live video on Miss Colombia Valeria Morales’s account along with Miss Australia Francesca Hung.
She starts out saying Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie is ‘pretends to know so much English’ but then just nods and smiles, while seemingly mocking her smile.
Summers says then she feels bad for Miss Cambodia, Rern Sinat, who she said, ‘doesn’t speak any English and not a single other person speaks her language’.
Newly crowned Miss Universe 2018 Miss Philippines Catriona Gray (left) embraces runner-up Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green (right)
Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers took to Instagram to apologize for her comments after appearing to mock Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie and Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat for not speaking English in a video
The comments went viral but Summers later posted an apology on Instagram, saying she did not ‘intend to hurt’ her fellow competitors.
‘In a moment where I intended to admire the courage of a few of my sisters, I said something that I now realize can be perceived as not respectful, and I apologize,’ she wrote with image that appears to show her apology accepted by the other contestants.
Miss Vietnam also made it to the semifinal round, but neither Summers or Nie made it to the the top 10.