Miss Universe purchased by Thai trans rights advocate Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip

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This is pretty cool. The Miss Universe pageant has been running since 1952. The organization has had a few different owners over the years, including Donald Trump from 1996-2015, and was most recently owned by IMG Worldwide. The Miss Universe Organization was just purchased by JKN Global Group, the CEO of which is Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswomen and transgender rights advocate. She purchased it for a cool $20 million and she’s the first woman to own the Miss Universe Organization.

The Miss Universe pageant is under new ownership.

Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswoman and transgender rights advocate, has purchased the Miss Universe Organization for $20 million, according to NBC News and The Guardian.

Jakrajutatip, 43, is now the first woman to own the Miss Universe Organization in its 71-year history, per the reports.

In addition to serving as CEO of JKN Global Group, which bought the pageant, Jakrajutatip is also a reality television star in Thailand — appearing on the country’s versions of shows like Shark Tank and Project Runway, the outlets said.

Jakrajutatip also previously helped establish the Life Inspired for Transsexual Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports transgender rights.

In a statement, Jakrajutatip said JKN is “honored” to be working with Miss Universe’s “visionary leadership team,” according to Variety. She described the acquisition as “a strong, strategic addition” to the group’s portfolio.

“We seek not only to continue its legacy of providing a platform to passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and traditions, but also to evolve the brand for the next generation,” Jakrajutatip said, per the outlet.

Miss Universe was sold by Endeavor’s IMG, which bought the organization in 2015, per Variety’s report. The pageant has grown significantly in that time, and is now broadcasting in 165 countries.

[From People]

It’s appropriate that a beauty pageant is now owned by a woman. The current president and CEO will both remain in their roles and it seems like they’re positively looking toward the future with the new ownership. It will be interesting to see how Anne’s background and life influence the future of the organization and pageant. According to the article, she is a reality star in Thailand. And she’s fairly young in her 40s. And her life as a transgender woman and trans rights advocate will hopefully push the pageant into a more progressive place. The pageant had its first transgender contestant in 2018, a woman from Spain, and the change in leadership can help create an environment that is even more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse. Anne’s quote is about evolving the brand for the next generation and that certainly seems true. I haven’t watched a beauty pageant in a long time, but I look forward to seeing her vision for the organization in her new role as its owner.

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