Protests, Incidents and Disasters
1970 - Feminist protesters throw flour bombs during Miss World 1970.
1974 - Feminists protest at Miss America.
1974 - An approaching typhoon threatens Miss Universe 1974 in the Philippines. As a means to diffuse the storm, Imelda Marcos, First Lady of the Philippines, calls in the military to seed monsoon clouds.
1979 - Shortly after the Miss Universe telecast is complete, the stage collapses as reporters and contestants flood the stage to congratulate the winner. Eight contestants fall through the stage to the concrete below. Contestants from Malta and Turkey are hospitalized for minor injuries.
1992 - Miss Teen USA is held in Bixoli, Mississippi on the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Andrew prevents Miss Teen USA 1992 from being televised live. Known as the "Hurricane Option", producers hold the pageant early and tape two alternate endings, each with one of the two finalists being announced the winner. The actual winner is not revealed until the taped event is televised with the appropriate alternate ending.
1993 - An earthquake hits host country Mexico, just before Miss Universe 1993 is held.
1993 - Miss USA, Kenya Moore, is booed by the Mexican audience at Miss Universe.
1996 - Miss World is held in Bangalore, India. Protesters force organizers to move swimsuit photo shoots to the Seychelles. Despite the chaos and heavy security, the event is held without incident.
2002 - Miss World is slated to be held in Abuja, Nigeria. Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman, is sentenced to death by stoning for adultery. Miss World attempted to use the publicity of the event to bring awareness to the issue. After the event's security is threatened by anti-pageant protests and riots, several contestants withdraw and the pageant is moved to London, United Kingdom.
2003 - Vida Samadzai represents Afghanistan at Miss Earth, although she resides in the United States. Her appearance in a bikini causes an uproar in her native country.
2005 - Miss Universe is held in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand was chosen as the host country of Miss Universe 2005 before a deadly Indian Ocean tsunami devastated the region in late 2004. It was unclear whether Thailand would remain as the host of the pageant. However, as a means to encourage tourists to return to the country, Miss Universe 2005 was indeed held in Thailand. For the first time at Miss Universe, a moment of silence was held in memory of the victims of the tragic event.
2005 - Locals in Thailand protest at Miss Universe 2005 after contestants wearing swimsuits are filmed in front of sacred monuments.
2005 - All four major international pageants are held on the same continent in the same year for the first time. Miss Universe 2005 is held in Thailand. Miss World 2005 is held in China. Miss Earth 2005 is held in the Philippines. Miss International 2005 is held in Japan.
2005 - Pakistan is represented in an international pageant for the first time at Miss Earth. Her participation causes an uproar in her native country.
2007 - Miss USA, Rachel Smith, is booed by the Mexican audience at Miss Universe. Smith also falls during the evening gown competition but recovers with grace and a smile.
Rule Changes
1921-1923 - Miss America contestants are allowed to be married.
1926 - Miss America institutes a new rule which prohibits a contestant from winning the title twice.
1952-1956 - Miss USA contestants are allowed to be married.
1967 - Miss Universe allows contestants to wear hairpieces and falls, although falsies remain grounds for disqualification.
1997 - Contestants are allowed to wear bikinis for the first time at Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA.
2001 - After a transsexual almost wins the right to represent China at Miss Universe, the rules for Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA are changed so that contestants must be natural-born women.
Contestants
1952-1953 - Jeanne Vaughn Thompson represents Louisiana at Miss USA for two years in succession.
1957 - Prior to being dethroned, Mary Leona Gage, Miss USA 1957, had made the semi-finals at Miss Universe. Monica Lamas from Argentina took Gage's place in the semi-finals of Miss Universe 1957.
2005 - Cynthia Kanema from Zambia becomes the first woman to compete at all four major international pageants.
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