Not only did her remarkable achievement break stereotypes but it also set a great example for many other women.
No matter what barriers society tries to pose, some ambitious women ignore them and work towards their goals. One such example would be Alejandra Rodríguez from La Plata, Argentina, who broke stereotypes and was crowned Miss Universe Buenos Aires 2024 at the age of 60. For those who believe that beauty fades with age, Rodríguez proved that age is just a number. It was the first time in the history of the beauty pageant that a 60-year-old grabbed the crown competing with considerably younger contestants, per Hola! USA.
Working as a lawyer and journalist, Rodríguez bagged the Miss Universe Buenos Aires title in April. Speaking to the media channel after her win, an elated Rodríguez said, "I am thrilled to be representing this new paradigm in beauty pageants because we are inaugurating a new stage in which women are not only physical beauty but another set of values. I am the first of this generation to start with this." She loves the beauty of nature and is passionate about spending time soaking in the sun or enjoying the tranquility that the ocean and its crashing waves offer, as per the beauty pageantry's Instagram post. Rodríguez finds peace in meditation, traveling to explore new places and cultures and she is also an animal lover.
View this post on Instagram
Apart from her fervor for leading a peaceful life, Rodríguez is keen on being consistent with going for walks and doing physical exercises. Also, she takes kindly to eating healthy food, mostly organic and follows the same in her cooking. She believes in the saying, "A world without God is built against man." Not sure if a tranquil and healthy lifestyle favored her younger-looking physique, but Rodríguez joked during a conversation with Rock And Pop radio that "being single" was the secret to her beauty, as per Infobae. "It's better alone than in bad company. I got married many years ago, I'm divorced and now I haven't been in a relationship for quite some time," she added.
View this post on Instagram
Surprisingly, Rodríguez has no experience in modeling and the only pageant she participated in before this historic win was when she was 17, which was for winning a trip to Bariloche, Río Negro. "In my time and my social circle, you had to study. What was expected of me was that I went to college and that I studied to have a career. So anything that had to do with this was not in my goal," she said during the conversation. She added, "Now this opportunity came up and I found it a very interesting challenge." Rodríguez was encouraged to break stereotypes and participate in the pageant at 60 by a friend who also began modeling at 55. "As a result of all this, a lot of friends are calling me, people who feel inspired like 'If she is 60 years old and doing this, we can do it too,'" she mentioned. Also, she said that the 60s are the new 40s in today's world.
View this post on Instagram
Rodríguez is not just stopping with the Miss Universe Buenos Aires title and is determined to make her mark in more pageants. She is all set to participate in the Miss Universe Argentina 2024 contest on May 25 in Buenos Aires. Rodríguez is prepared to shatter the ageist norms and be an inspiration to many by setting the stage on fire in the upcoming contest.