The 2023 Miss Universe winner R’Bonney Gabriel announced the exciting change during New York Fashion Week.
“What I love about Miss Universe is that they are always out first in line,” she told WWD in an interview published Sept. 12, “looking for ways they can be more inclusive and better live up to the platform that they’ve designed for us.”
She continued, “It’s a bold group of women in charge over here, and you know what, a lot of people tend to follow what we do—it’s nice to be a standard-bearer, and I’m proud that we get to do this.”
The organization’s update is one that hits close to home for R’Bonney. After all, she brought up the issue during the pageant’s question segment.
“For me, I would like to see an age increase because I am 28 years old,” R’Bonney answered at the time. “And that is the oldest age to compete. And I think it’s a beautiful thing.”
She added, “My favorite quote is, ‘If not now, then when?’ Because as a woman, I believe age does not define us. It’s not tomorrow, it’s not yesterday—but it’s now. The time is now.”
