Beauty pageants have long been a contested part of our culture: some see them as a hangover from a far more patriarchal era, while others defend them for helping women of all ages to feel more confident and to know their self-worth.

What has changed drastically over the years is the motive behind pageants, Beauty for a Cause or Purpose has become the core mantra of these competitions.

The aim is to challenge the stereotypes that many people still adhere to when they think of a ‘pageant girl.’ Sadly, there are so many people outside of the pageant industry who still subscribe to the out-dated notion that the girls who compete in pageants are all exactly the same.

Breaking all norms and influencing the world one step at a time, the beautiful divas have proved that they are not only pretty faces but also strong, confident, and focused towards their goal. Their advocacies and opinions have always inspired the people across the world to do something good for the society.

Here are some pageant queens who empowered the world with their actions, putting their titles and positions to the best use with their outstanding and very powerful wins who have not only inspired and encouraged people during their reign but also post reign:

Deshauna Barber- Miss USA 2016

Deshauna Barber made history when she became the first ever Miss USA 2016 to actively serve in the United States military and to promote veterans issues during her reign.

Deshauna is a modern renaissance woman who has accomplished phenomenal achievements as a United States Army Officer and as a pageant titleholder, but she is now breaking new ground as a pageant coach, a motivational speaker and an influencer. Her primary purpose is focused on advocating for soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a cause that she is intensely passionate about. In 2020, she took on the role as CEO of the Service Women's Action Network, a nonprofit organization advocating on behalf of all service women and women veterans.

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters- Miss Universe 2017

Miss Universe 2017, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters created an extremely helpful platform that focused on women and self-defence. She then made it her mission to empower women and keep them safe with her "Unbreakable” initiative, which she launched in 2017, while she was still Miss South Africa.

Demi-Leight was moved to launch Unbreakable after her own violent carjacking experience in June of 2017. She was able to survive an attack unharmed by using techniques she'd learned at a self-defence course three months earlier. As her story was covered by the local news, Nel-Peters received requests from other women to share about the experience. It was then that she saw it as an opportunity to create an environment for women to share their stories and learn how to protect themselves.

Kara Deidra McCullough - Miss USA 2017

Kára's McCullough won the Miss USA Crown in 2017, pretty outstanding accomplishment, but it's only one of the many things about Kára that is truly remarkable which involves her being a nuclear scientist!

Kára is also the founder of programs such as ‘Science Exploration for Kids’, and ‘Science and Engineering for Girls’, which creates fun and interactive activities celebrating math and science.  As Miss USA, Kára successfully expanded her programs throughout the country and internationally to advocate for today's youth to enter STEM career fields. Her goal has always been to cultivate a passion for science, technology, engineering, arts and math within children, and she achieved incredible accolades during her reign for doing just that.

Mikalya Holmgren- Miss Minnesota USA 2019

Mikayla Holmgren was the first woman with Down syndrome to run in state Miss USA pageant, 2019. She also won two awards: the Spirit of Miss USA Award and the Director's Award.

Mikayla Holmgren hopes her message that true beauty begins on the inside spreads. Holmgren said, "I have special needs and it's really important. Dream big without limits." Mikayla has continued to dream and has become a powerful role model to those with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.

She serves as an international ambassador for Best Buddies, is a spokesperson at the Pennsylvania State Capitol for the Down Syndrome Protection Act and is an active participant in the Special Olympics. She has also found time to branch out into the world of fashion, modeling in L.A. Fashion week and then creating her own fashion show entitled "Dreaming Big Without Limits."

Angela Ponce Camacho- Miss Universe Spain 2018

Angela Ponce, a Spanish model and beauty pageant titleholder who made history on June 29th, 2018 as the first transgender woman to win Miss Universe Spain 2018.

Ponce said that she planned to use her appearance at Miss Universe as a platform to draw attention toward the high rates of suicides among transgender teenagers, as well as the legal codes that still discriminate against them around the world.

She wants to be a role model for young people and show them that it’s possible to live an incredible life as an openly transgender person. As part of her mission, she is working with the Daniela Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps children and parents who are struggling with transgender issues.

Ryann Richardson- Miss Philadelphia 2009

Miss Philadelphia 2009 and a six-time Miss America state pageant runner-up, Ryann Richardson made history in 2018 when she became the 50th Anniversary Miss Black America, earning the title which allowed her to represent the oldest pageant organization in the United States for women of colour.

Ryann is a pageant veteran, spending years as a spokesperson, titleholder, volunteer and judge. She was Miss District of Columbia USA 2017, dedicating her term to supporting efforts to advance the professional, political and economic condition of women and minorities in the District and beyond.

Ryann also leads the ‘Take Up Space’ movement, a social action campaign focused on building social, political and economic power for historically marginalized communities through educational programming, grassroots activism and commercial and non-profit partnerships.

Halima Aden- Miss Minnesota USA 2016 (semi-finalist)

In 2016, Halima was the first contestant to take the stage wearing a hijab and burkini in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant, where she was a semi-finalist. She added another history-making moment to her list, becoming the first model to wear a full-body swimsuit burkini and hijab on the cover of the Sport Illustrated annual swimsuit issue!

Halima talks about all of the messages that she receives every day from other women on her social media, and how she's glad that she is helping them to accept themselves. Aden has been a pioneer for modest Muslim women in the fashion industry and has paved the way for other models like I-D's latest cover star Ugbad Abdi.

Katherin Shindle- Miss America 1998

Following Katherine Shindle's victory at Miss America 1998, the beauty queen went on to become a Broadway star and AIDS activist.

With her Miss America crown, Shindle became an AIDS activist, giving lectures and helping to raise millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS awareness, even chairing a session at the World Health Organization in Switzerland.

As a fundraiser for the National AIDS Fund, Shindle teamed up with a Chicago jazz ensemble to release a Christmas CD, "Christmases to Come."

Nellza Mortola Bautista- Miss Earth Philippines Fire 2017

Reigning Miss Earth Philippines-Fire 2017 Nellza Mortola-Bautista returned to her hometown, Villanueva to do what she loves most, advocate for the environment.

Returning to her hometown over the weekend after a series of environmental advocacies in Manila, Bautista said her focus would be to raise awareness on proper waste management among her town mates. She worked with local officials to fully implement existing laws on solid waste management at the household level.

For her part, Villanueva Mayor Jennie Rosalie Uy said Bautista's advocacy could not have come up at a better time, pointing out that the local government had been experiencing difficulties in garbage disposal. Uy also noted that Bautista's environmental advocacy would be a boon for Villanueva, an industrial town about 29.4 kilometres east of this city, which boasts of factories, processing plants and manufacturing firms.

Shweta Sekhon Miss Universe Malaysia 2019

Shweta Sekhon represented Malaysia at Miss Universe 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. She is local Malaysian Indian of ethnic Punjabi descent. Shweta was scouted online for Miss World Malaysia 2016 pageant and chosen as the official top 18 of the pageant.

Shweta launched a campaign, #YourBodyYourSay as her Miss Universe Malaysia advocacy campaign in August 2019. She hopes to build a much more positive society who is not fearful of accepting their true and real, authentic self. As part of the campaign, she conducted sharing sessions at universities such as HELP University and MAHSA University.

Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh- Miss World Malaysia 1983

Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh represented Malaysia at Miss World 1983. Michelle is known for several accomplishments that have launched her into worldwide fame both on and off-screen.

Adding to an impressive acting career in Asia and Hollywood, she was appointed United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador in 2016 and promoted to the rank of 'Commandeur' in the order of Légion d’Honneur in 2017 by former president of France, Francois Hollande. Outspoken about various issues affecting marginalised groups and environmental causes, Yeoh has risen to become a fearless role model to men and women all over the world.

Oprah Winfrey- Miss Black Tennessee 1972

The list would always be incomplete without mentioning Oprah Winfrey best known for her syndicated talk show, ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show.’ Oprah Winfrey's first time in the limelight was at the Miss Black Tennessee pageant in 1972.

Winfrey has been involved in extensive philanthropy work — shelling out $400 million to charitable causes as of 2012.In 1998, she created The Angel Network, which supported charities and allocated grants to international non-profit organizations. She also set up the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Winfrey was also presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Obama in 2013.

These women are outstanding, not because they have a disability or are outside the norm of what others might consider the traditional ‘pageant type.’ They are exceptional because they chose to not buy into self-limiting beliefs about what they were capable of achieving and what they were deserving of in life.