At the Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Bangkok, Mexico’s Fátima Bosch Fernández was crowned the 74th Miss Universe, leading to an ecstatic response from the audience. Bosch’s victory came amidst a backdrop of controversy and chaos, which has been a recurring theme in the history of the Miss Universe pageant.
Throughout its 74-year history, the Miss Universe pageant has faced numerous controversies, including stripping contestants of their titles for various reasons such as being married or pregnant, cutting ties over racist remarks, and even mistakenly crowning the wrong winner in past editions. The pageant has also been embroiled in allegations of bullying and has been a platform for discussions on global politics.
This year’s event was no exception, with incidents of public bullying, judges resigning, allegations of vote-rigging, death threats, a contestant leaving on a stretcher, and fake drug-related scandals. These events added to the drama surrounding the pageant.
One notable incident involved Bosch standing up to bullying during the sashing ceremony, where she defended herself against allegations by the Thai national director. Bosch’s response garnered support from fellow contestants, including Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark.
Additionally, two judges withdrew from the pageant, with one claiming that the voting process was rigged. The organization refuted these claims and stated that the judging for the Beyond the Crown program was separate from the official competition.
Furthermore, there were controversies involving contestants from Palestine and Israel, with allegations of death threats and misunderstandings over interactions during the pageant. Another scandal included a contestant jokingly pretending to use fake drugs in a video posted on social media.
In a separate incident, a Canadian judge’s coaching of a contestant raised questions about impartiality, as the coached contestant did not advance to the final round after making it to the top 30.
Lastly, Miss Jamaica’s misstep during the preliminary evening gown competition, where she fell off the stage, added to the unexpected events of this year’s Miss Universe pageant. Though she sustained minor injuries, she was taken to the hospital for observation.
Despite the controversies and challenges, the Miss Universe pageant continues to be a platform that captures public attention and sparks discussions on various social issues.