By Sneha Kundu
Age is just a number, and Alejandra Marisa Rodríguez’s recent win at the 2024 Miss Universe Buenos Aires pageant proves just that. At 60 years old, Alejandra made history as the first contestant of her age to clinch the prestigious title, beating out 34 other contestants ranging from 18 to 73 years old.
“I am thrilled to be representing this new paradigm in beauty pageants,” Alejandra expressed after her win in April, as reported by Hola!. “We are inaugurating a new stage in which women are not only judged by physical beauty but by a broader set of values.”
Alejandra, a lawyer and journalist from La Plata, sees her win as a significant step forward. “I am the first of this generation to start with this,” she added, emphasizing the importance of breaking age stereotypes in the pageant world.
In a few weeks, Alejandra will compete once again, this time for the Miss Universe title. She’ll face off against contestants from each province in the country at the event scheduled for May 25 in the City of Buenos Aires. The winner will then go on to compete for the worldwide title on September 28.
Alejandra’s groundbreaking victory comes after the Miss Universe pageant changed its rules seven months ago, removing the age limit of 28. Now, women 18 and older can vie for the title, making it more inclusive and diverse.
The decision to remove the age limit was announced by the 2023 Miss Universe winner, R’Bonney Gabriel, during New York Fashion Week. “What I love about Miss Universe is that they are always at the forefront, looking for ways to be more inclusive and better live up to the platform they’ve designed for us,” R’Bonney shared in an interview with WWD.
R’Bonney had advocated for this change during the pageant’s question segment, stating, “For me, I would like to see an age increase because I am 28 years old. And that is the oldest age to compete. And I think it’s a beautiful thing.”
As Alejandra Marisa Rodríguez prepares to compete for the Miss Universe title, she stands as a symbol of breaking barriers and redefining beauty standards, proving that beauty knows no age limit.
