Miss Myanmar, Swe Zin Htet has come out as a gay woman following her competition at the 2019 Miss Universe. 21-year-old Swe Zin Htet came out publicly just days before taking part in the pageant at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, December 8, 2019. Htet, who won her Miss Myanmar title in May 2019, came out as a lesbian in an interview with the beauty blog Missosology a week before the Miss Universe finals. ‘I came to a full realization about my sexual orientation over a long period of time. I knew I was “one of them” way back in 2015,’ she said.
Coming out publicly isn’t easy, she said, but she wants to use her platform to help LGBTQ people in Myanmar. ‘It is personally quite challenging but I feel that I have a greater voice and the best position to promote this cause. Some pageant fans know about it and they still support me but this is the first time I am able to talk about it in public, ‘I believe that not all countries allow same-sex marriage. I want the world to accept the LGBTQ+ community and their right to choose their own path and pursuit of happiness,’ she went on. ‘Love is the most powerful thing and people fall in love with human beings, not gender.’
Speaking about the importance of advocacy, she said: ‘I have that platform that, if I say that I’m a lesbian, it will have a big impact on the LGBTQ community back in Burma,’ she told People via a translator. ‘The difficult thing is that in Burma, LGBTQ people are not accepted… they are looked down on by other people and are being discriminated against.’ LGBTQ people in Myanmar do not have equal rights and I want to change that. I feel like if I am open about my sexuality others will open up, too,’ Htet told Glamour. The Miss Universe organization has voiced support for Htet. ‘We are honored to give a platform to strong, inspirational women like Miss Universe Myanmar, who are brave enough to share their unique stories with the world,’ Paula Shugart, president of The Miss Universe Organization, told People. ‘Miss Universe will always champion women to be proud of who they are.’ Meanwhile, it is illegal to engage in gay sex in Myanmar, According to Al Jazeera, Section 377 punishes gay sex with up to 10 years in prison.
So when I bought the vacuum cleaner, I couldn’t wait to tell her, because she used to bring her own to my house to clean for me. So for me, buying a vacuum cleaner was a testimony.
So when she came over, I was like, “Oh sis, I finally bought a vacuum cleaner. God is so good.” She saw the excitement on my face, and kind of rolled her eyes and laughed and said, “Hurray” in a mocking sarcastic tone.
My bubble was just burst, and I stopped celebrating the vacuum cleaner “testimony” and looked at her.
She noticed that I was offended, and tried to be funny, “Oh sorry sis, it’s just that we women we celebrate the weirdest things. We celebrate buying a vacuum cleaner, that’s just sad.”
I looked at her, and I knew what she was saying. I wasn’t stupid and she knew it. She wasn’t stupid either.
So I said to her,” Yeah it’s sad, but me being a black woman makes it sadder I suppose.” Uncomfortably, she changed the conversation.
And I told myself that that was the last time I would ever make a fool of myself like that in front of a white person. I can’t celebrate the things which are normal, especially in front of them. Why give them a reason to laugh and mock us?
I said to God never ever will I beg for things which are supposed to be given to me freely, like what black people do. They go to church to pray for a house and car. They celebrate buying gucci clothes. They are a wonder to other races.
Do you realize what a laughing stock we are to white people when we celebrate a black woman wearing her own hair in her own skin? Do we realize that it even gives them more power and keeps them on top because it confirms how pathetic we truly see ourselves?
Yes, we are simply telling them that black women are so pathetic, they hate themselves so much that they would rather have straight long hair like Becky, so it’s so shocking to see a black woman enter a beauty pageant with her own hair, let alone win it! God, that should call for a global celebration. History has been made! Honestly, If I wasn’t black, I would spend my life literally laughing at black people, this kind of “shit” is entertaining to the none black thinkers.
As a race, you can’t celebrate the most natural normal thing which is supposed to be your best asset. It means the rest of ya’ll aren’t normal. I gave birth to my 6 children naturally. That is how God designed a woman, to birth her children naturally. Now, why should I come out and congratulate myself, make all sorts of memes and motivational quotes, weep and be all emotional that I gave birth naturally and normally? Is that not a strange thing to make a big deal out of. So how can a woman wearing her own hair be such a big shocking celebration within the black community?
Black women in their thousands took to twitter in their amazement that a black woman with her own hair had won Miss Universe.
“I was still shook that we have a black girl with natural short hair as Miss South Africa and she went and became Miss Universe!!! Against the status quo. A breath of fresh air. CHANGE!!! ” Kolisa Yola Sinyanya, Twitter
“A dark skin black woman with short natural hair won not only miss SA but miss universe. the importance of that is not lost on me at all” Foyin, Twitter
Dear black people, there are some things that are not worth putting out there. It’s just so embarrassing. Some of these pathetic celebrations should be done behind closed doors, not in front of all and sundry.
Just learn to own your “shit” confidently if you ever want to be a dominant race in this white world. Just act normal, and stop always using your race as something to be pitied.
Dear black people, when something good happens to you, just OWN IT! End of. No pity party, just OWN your shit for Pete’s sake.
A black woman who looks black and not white won Miss Universe. That’s not supposed to be a big deal. Celebrate her. Congratulate her. Talk about how beautiful she is. Out there, behave like she deserved it, that there is nothing “shocking” about her win. Don’t start turning the win into a “Oh look at the poor little black girl who looks black, how on earth did she win?”
And I guess she also didn’t help the matter, she wants the pity party as well, before she got off the stage. she had already started talking about how a woman like her was always seen as ugly because she had her own hair and skin.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful. I think that it is time that that stops today.” Miss Universe 2019
No sweetheart, it won’t stop today, not until women like you stop going on about how different you are to the rest of the black women. Just own the moment, and act normal!
Bless her, she means well, she wants change, but because of women like her, the vicious circle of the wretched black woman continues…
I double-checked more than once the Preliminary Competition of Miss Universe 2019. And from my previous list of Pre-Preliminaries Top 20, I removed one Latina and one European from the list – Panama and Spain – and replaced them with another pair of Latina and European to complete my Top 20 – Peru and Ireland. This is the part where they will give their short opening statements (OS) for the judges:
In alphabetical order of country names: Albania Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia France India Indonesia Ireland Kenya Mexico Peru Philippines Puerto Rico Singapore South Africa Thailand USA Venezuela Vietnam
Now since the next cut will effectively divide the group into half, this is where the judges are likely to bring in the ladies they already took a shine on from the time the assessments started with a dash of one or two who cannot be ignored in the OS. Hence, I will include USA and Indonesia in my Top 10.
In my order of preference now: Colombia Philippines Albania France Thailand India Indonesia Vietnam Brazil USA
The Top 10 will go through the Swimsuit and Evening Gown Competitions. And if the basis will be the Preliminaries, this is where Miss Thailand Paweensuda Drouin might be nosed out by another ASEAN delegate – Hoang Thuy of Vietnam – who I feel will deliver more strongly in both mentioned segments. Hence, my Top 5 in this order are:
Colombia Philippines India France Vietnam
Question and Answer will follow the announcement of the Top 5. And even if criticisms are overflowing that Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados is likely to fail in impressing the panel with her answer, I’d like to believe that she will deliver in this regard. Maybe not exceedingly well as per the standards of many, but still enough to move forward. By this time, she has earned enough positive points to convince the all-female judges that she deserves a spot in the Final 3.
My Miss Universe 2019 Final 3 are:
Gabriela Tafur of Colombia Gazini Ganados of the Philippines Vartika Singh of India
Interestingly enough, the trio represents different strengths that would hold them up in their respective bids.
Colombia can possibly benefit from having her fellow Latinas in the panel – Paulina Vega and Gaby Espino – who may (or may not) push for Gabriela to win the title.
The Philippines will be going for a rare back-to-back win that should propel the Miss Universe brand to greater heights in terms of marketability, popularity and newsworthiness.
India will be served well in giving the South Asian nation a much-awaited comeback in terms of superiority in international pageantry. It has not had an “extra meaningful” placement (read: Top 5 or better) in the annual pageant for the past seventeen (17) years. Celina Jaitley was the last Indian in the Top 5, and that was back in 2001.
Now, for the Final Question, it can be anybody’s game as to who will seal the deal or otherwise.
My Final Verdict?
Who doesn’t want a back-to-back win? Regardless of what the naysayers will voice out, I will always want the Philippines to duplicate what Venezuela achieved back in 2008/2009. But if Gazini is not fated to be the next, then I would be happy that she made it this far and even a 2nd Runner-Up placement would sound great since we have not yet scored this ranking ever since Miss Universe started in the 1950s. Overall (and outside the Prelims), nonetheless, she has done very well in aspects that we cannot categorize in any of the scored segments – factors that will sit well with the MUO on any given Sunday – business-wise, that is. After all, the inner workings of international pageantry has significantly evolved ever since. And Miss Universe is no exception.
Now if either Colombia or India would spoil things for the Philippines, I will not feel disheartened. I have been so pageantry-involved more than 3/4 of my life now that I can accept any result with an open mind and heart.
For a certain rarified class of home buyer, money is no object. For the rest of us, it’s nice to find a deal. Affordable shouldn’t mean unappealing, though.
Exclusively for The Post, data-crunching startup Localize.city sussed out local spots where residents can get the high life at a (relatively, anyway) low price. In addition to affordability — which researchers measured using a cost-per-room metric, presuming that most homes are shared among families and roommates — Localize.city scored the nabes on factors like the ease of their commutes, crime rates, noise complaints, green spaces and bike friendliness.
For the uninitiated, Localize.city is a website with information about every address in NYC. Its crack team of analysts looked at all neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, excluding ones with less than 10,000 residents. The top 25 percent of most expensive neighborhoods in the city were removed so that only affordable spots would end up in the final rankings.
From established enclaves like Forest Hills to up-and-coming areas like the Bronx’s Concourse neighborhood, these are places that balance both cost and quality of life.
Windsor Terrace
Windsor Terrace’s townhouses are less pricey than nearby Park Slope’s.Alamy Stock Photo
Tucked away at the southwestern end of Prospect Park, this tranquil spot feels more like a sleepy Hudson River village than the middle of Brooklyn. That small-town vibe “can mean fewer shopping and nightlife options” than other areas, says Localize.city urban planner Grace Klein, but bustling Park Slope is just a short walk or train ride away. Prices remain relatively low compared to prime Brooklyn ’hoods, notes Brendan Aguayo of Halstead Property Development Marketing.
Townhomes run from around $1.5 million to $3 million, while in Park Slope they typically start in the $2-million-to-$3 million range and can run close to $20 million. “It’s a wonderfully quaint, beautifully charming neighborhood,” Aguayo says. House hunters will have to be patient, he adds. “There really isn’t much product available.”
Forest Hills
The neighborhood more than lives up to its nameShutterstock
This leafy Queens spot is quiet, but not too quiet, says Lesley Li, a consultant who recently purchased a two-bedroom condo in the area. The tree-lined neighborhood is more bucolic than her former home of Woodside and has more to offer in terms of shopping and dining, adds Li, 25. “You have places like Sephora, clothing stores, good ramen and Chinese food, and good bars,” she says.
This combination of tranquility plus amenities is drawing interest from buyers across the city, especially residents of other Queens neighborhoods, says Andres Soto, an agent with Keller Williams. A one-bedroom condo that can cost $800,000 in Long Island City or Astoria would likely run closer to $600,000 in Forest Hills, Soto says. Though, he notes, that’s not the case for the neighborhood’s tony Gardens, where single-family homes hover in the $3-million to-$5-million range.
Roosevelt Island
The iconic red tram shuttles residents to and from one of Manhattan’s cheapest nabes.Alamy Stock Photo
A renovated Manhattan co-op for a mere $800 per square foot? Welcome to Roosevelt Island. This strip of land in the middle of the East River is technically part of Manhattan, making it one of the borough’s more affordable nabes. Data visualization designer Silvio DaSilva moved to the island from Chelsea at the end of 2016, drawn by lower prices and what he says is a relaxed, almost suburban lifestyle.
The river views aren’t bad either! Linked to the city by the F train and the tram, the area draws steady interest from Queens residents and, occasionally, from mainland Manhattanites, says Corcoran broker Tania Arias. Most buyers already live on the island as renters. That’s perhaps due to the spot’s unique vibe. “It’s not like being in your typical Manhattan neighborhood like the Upper West Side or Hell’s Kitchen or something like that,” says Citi Habitats agent Sherrick Watson, noting that while the retail scene is not abundant or innovative, “you do have your corporations coming in — Starbucks, Duane Reade.”
Bay Ridge
On the Brooklyn side of the Verrazzano Bridge sits quaint, residential Bay Ridge.Alamy Stock Photo
Rounding out the southwest corner of Brooklyn, Bay Ridge isn’t the most accessible of neighborhoods, but between its scenic harbor views, solid shopping and dining scenes, and affordable prices (median asking prices for one- and two-bedroom apartments are $354,500 and $599,000, respectively, according to StreetEasy), why would you want to leave anyway?
The neighborhood boasts “some of the city’s best Greek, Italian and Middle Eastern food,” along with a “quiet, green and authentic New York feel,” says Localize.city’s urban planning lead Alon Goldstein.
Clinton Hill
Row houses in Clinton HillAlamy Stock Photo
With an average price per square foot of $1,013 (according to StreetEasy), Clinton Hill doesn’t seem that affordable on the face of it. But with average prices per square foot in spots like neighboring Prospect Heights approaching the $1,300 mark, the area counts as something of a bargain.
It’s also “one of the greenest neighborhoods in Brooklyn, with leafy streets and charming brownstones and Victorians along Washington and Vanderbilt” avenues, says Localize.city’s Klein.
Flushing
Christina Jiang stands in the model unit of the new Flushing condo where she bought.Zandy Mangold
For Christina Jiang, recent buyer of a three-bedroom unit at F&T Group and SCG America’s condo project Tangram, family was key.Owner of a consulting firm in the Financial District, Jiang says she considered a condo in Lower Manhattan but ultimately decided to stay in Flushing, where she and her mother have lived in a two-bedroom condo at F&T’s Flushing Commons building since 2013. FiDi might have been more convenient to her office, Jiang notes, but “my family, of course, preferred for me to purchase a condo in Flushing because it’s a Chinese community.”
Thanks to the neighborhood’s ongoing development boom, she had options. In addition to Tangram, buildings like Onex Real Estate Partners’ the Grand at SkyView Parc condo development (from $728,000 for one-bedrooms to $2.6 million for three-bedrooms) are bringing new luxury inventory to the area.
Of course, more luxury means higher prices, but they’re still palatable.
At Tangram, which will be ready for move-ins next year, prices start at $625,000 for studios, $685,000 for one-bedrooms, $1 million for two-beds and $1.9 million for three-beds.
Washington Heights
Rachel and Anderson Reyes, with son Arthur and daughter Eleanor, found Washington Heights had bang for their buck.Stefano Giovannini
This Upper Manhattan hood is still a bargain by NYC standards, but prices are on the rise, says Warburg Realty broker Joel Moss. She cites the example of condo building 779 Riverside Drive, where she and her colleague Samantha Rose Frith sold a three-bedroom in 2013 for $765,000 ($531 per square foot). One year later, they sold an equivalent apartment in the building for $936,750 ($650 per square foot). Last year, they sold another comparable unit for $1.2 million ($818 per square foot).
Anderson and Rachel Reyes have seen that rise firsthand. The couple were Moss and Frith’s 2013 buyers, turning their sights to Washington Heights after being priced out of Morningside Heights and West Harlem. For Anderson, who grew up in the neighborhood, the move proved there truly is no place like home. “The quality of the apartment, and the space you get for the money and still be in Manhattan, is unmatched,” he says.
Bedford Park
The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical GardenAlamy Stock Photo
The homes are downright suburban-looking. Just take the Betty Smith house, where the author wrote the beloved children’s book “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”
Also worth mentioning: Area advocates are working to bring to life the proposed QueensWay, which would convert 3½ miles of abandoned Long Island Railroad track to a public park a la West Chelsea’s High Line.
Concourse
The pride of the Bronx, Yankee StadiumAlamy Stock Photo
The Bronx’s Grand Concourse was modeled after the Champs-Élysées in Paris, notes Klein, and while it’s not as flashy as its French counterpart, the neighborhood does have a certain je ne sais quoi. Warburg agent Rebecca Brooksher says the area has begun to attract buyers who might once have settled in upper Manhattan. About 25 minutes from Midtown, with Yankee Stadium along its western edge, Concourse is as convenient as spots like Inwood or Washington Heights but considerably less expensive.
Most of us have grown up with many popular fairy tales told to us as children. The legendary story “Little Red Riding Hood” In most versions (although definitely not all of them) there is one common theme: a wolf attacks a young woman through deception. 1,099 more words
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