The newly crowned Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi has been regarded as an alternative symbol of authenticity and beauty.
One of her stand-out points is her iconic haircut (TWA- Teeny Weeny Afro). Many across the world, especially women of colour, easily found resonance with her because she looked like a regular Jane on the street.
Latest reports stated that Zozibini's haircut almost didn't "see the light of day" as those closest to her, especially her friends, advised her to put on a wig ahead of the Miss Universe beauty pageant.
According to the Insider, Mzansi's golden girl expressed how she had decided to stick to proudly rocking her natural hair despite her friends advising her otherwise.
"A lot of people did," she said. "And it was so strange because even a lot of people I knew, people that were my friends, were like, 'Sis, we love you, but we're just saying, maybe you should put on a wig or buy a weave.''
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"I was like, 'No, you know what, I'm going to do it the way I am, because I've been with my natural hair for the past three years. "I don't see why I should change it just because I'm stepping into another platform."
Self-knowledge sure does make a whole of difference, doesn't it?
Luckily, Zozibini didn't take the whole thing to heart. She recognised that her friends were merely adhering to the general perception of worldwide conventional beauty.
"In the past, I think that beauty has been stereotyped to look one certain way. When you open a magazine, that's what you see. When you open television, that's what you see. And it becomes embedded within society and ourselves."
