This feminist icon is Nicaragua’s winning answer in Miss Universe 2023

MANILA, Philippines – “If you could live one year in another woman’s shoes, who would you choose and why?”

This was the question to Miss Universe’s top three candidates, Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios, Thailand’s Anntonia Porsild, and Australia’s Moraya Wilson, during the final Q & A portion of the pageant.

Thailand’s Anntonia answered Malala Yousafzai, a feminist icon who fought for women’s rights to education, while Australia’s Moraya said she wanted to be her mother who she described as a “strong woman.”

But among the candidates, it was the Latina beauty queen’s answer that won the crown.

The Miss Universe 2023 answered, “I will choose Mary Wollstonecraft because she opened the gap and they gave an opportunity to many women. What I would do, I would want that gap — that income gap — would open up so that women could work in any area that they chose to work in because there’s no limitation for women. That was 1750. Now in 2023, we’re making history.”

READ: Miss Universe 2023 is Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua

Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer and advocate for women’s rights and education. 

Wollstonecraft is best known for her 1792 book, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” which argued for equal educational opportunities for women. 

She also fought for women’s rights to individual independence and the ability to participate in public life.

At present, she is seen as a feminist icon for promoting women’s equality and challenging traditional views of women.

Palacios first represented Nicaragua in the Miss World 2021 pageant, where she finished in the Top 40.

The Philippines’ Michelle Dee finished in the Top 10 of this year’s competition.