Sunday evening is definitely eventful for one fine lad from Rhode Islands, Olivia Culpo, after telling the audience that transgendered contestants should be treated fair and can win a pageant. This gave her the crown as she represents the United States in the Miss Universe 2012 pageant to be held October this year.

The event was held in Las Vegas, Nevada – June 3.

Culpo is twenty years old and competed in a series of competitions including swimsuit and evening gown and upon answering a question which came from an audience member’s tweet, she was crowned the winner.

Culpo is asked if it is fair that a transgendered woman like the one permitted to join Miss Canada early this year to win Miss USA over a natural born woman. She then answered, “I do think that would be fair, but I can understand that people would be a little apprehensive to take that road.” She continued saying, ” there are so many people out there who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it is a free country.”

Mixed reactions came from the audience after she gave her answer but she ended it with two thumbs ups, which got the crowd cheering.

Culpo, of Cranston, Rhode Island, is a student at Boston University. The Miss Universe pageant will be held in December.

Earlier this year, Jenna Talackova, who underwent gender-reassignment surgery at age 19 and holds legal documents affirming her identity as a woman, was initially kicked out of the competition in the Miss Canada division, but was later reinstated by the Miss Universe organization’s owner, Donald Trump.

Talackova, now 23, went on to compete in last month’s Miss Canada pageant but did not win.