Newly crowned Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi stopped by fellow South African Trevor Noah’s The Daily Show to discuss her incredible achievement.
During the interview and while discussing her choice to embrace self-love and her natural hair in pageants, Zozi shared that she’s received messages of racism and colourism since winning the Miss South Africa title in August.
‘I think it was in that moment where I was like, I’m not even mad, because it’s just how society has labelled beauty. It’s how we have been programmed, to see beauty that way, you know. The further you are from being fair, the uglier you are. And I just saw it as an educational moment. I remember putting up a post speaking about it. Speaking about colourism, speaking about racism and how people need to see things in order to start believing in them,’ she says.
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When Noah asked her why she chose to compete with her natural hair, she said, ‘It’s not a strategy, I’ve had short hair for three years and I wasn’t going to change because I was stepping into a beauty platform, because then it means I don’t think my hair is beautiful. So I decided to keep it.’
The 26-year-old marketing graduate also spoke about the causes she wants to focus on as she begins her reigning year as Miss Universe. They include the issues of equality and gender-based violence, which she spoke about going into the competition, and which even influenced her national costume.
On a lighter note, the newly crowned beauty queen says she’s excited to travel the world, though she wasn’t impressed with the cold New York winter.
‘New York is so cold, oh my word, when I got here I was like, “Oh I would love to feel my toes one more time!”’
Watch the full interview below:
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