Staff Reports
The Miss Universe competition, under the ownership of JKN Global Group, recently declared bankruptcy in Thailand, as reported by Fox Business. Criticism has surrounded the pageant for its inclusion of transgender contestants, with two participants from Portugal and the Netherlands slated for the upcoming event. In 2018, "Miss" Spain made history as the first transgender contestant, though she did not advance to the finals.
Anne Jakrajutatip, the new owner and a transgender activist from Thailand who acquired the pageant for $20 million in 2022, aims to eradicate perceived "transphobia" and instances of individuals posing as the opposite gender. Despite the financial challenges, the 2023 Miss Universe pageant is scheduled for this Saturday in San Salvador, El Salvador, with Roku and Telemundo broadcasting the event at 8 p.m. EST for U.S. viewers. This move to different broadcasting platforms reflects the pageant's struggle with declining viewership and waning interest in socially progressive narratives.
Who could’ve seen that coming? 😂🤣😂
Miss Universe Pageant Organizers File for Bankruptcy After Embracing Transgender Contestants 👏👏👏#MissUniverse https://t.co/WXQeSyaP0o… pic.twitter.com/Xgt6bQ6hBt
— SULLY🇺🇸 (@SULLY10X) November 16, 2023
While the cause of the bankruptcy remains undisclosed, JKN did miss a $12 million loan repayment deadline. Some attribute the decline in the pageant's popularity to the inclusion of transgender contestants, as a segment of consumers opts to boycott entities endorsing what they perceive as "sinful behaviors." The transition from Fox to Roku and Telemundo also mirrors the broader trend of decreased viewership and disinterest in socially woke themes.
In summary, the Miss Universe pageant's financial woes and diminishing viewership may be linked to its alignment with the woke agenda, particularly the inclusion of transgender participants and the promotion of what critics deem "woke lies." Nevertheless, under new ownership and a commitment to transgender representation, the pageant persists, drawing both supporters and detractors.
