Miss Philippines wins Miss Universe

The Philippines, a country obsessed with beauty pageants, is celebrating its fourth Miss Universe win, sparking a wave of pride and support online.

Introducing your newly crowned #MissUniverse 2018 @catrionaelisa. 👑 pic.twitter.com/SXGIDw2nlm

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 17, 2018

Catriona Gray beat her global contestants in an early morning final in Bangkok, Thailand.

I sat next to Catriona Gray’s parents, and this was their reaction when their daughter, Miss Philippines, won Miss Universe. pic.twitter.com/1Wu9ysdhEA

— MikeinCambodia (@MikeInCambodia) December 17, 2018

While hugely popular, such pageants are often accused of objectifying women and promoting gender inequality.

Activists have described Miss Universe as a "display of flesh" which sets "unattainable beauty standards".

Miss Universe 2018 is... PHILIPPINES! pic.twitter.com/r2BkN8JpXh

— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 17, 2018

[Source: BBC]