View source for Gladys Zender

{{short description|Peruvian model and beauty queen (born 1939)}}
{{Spanish married name|Zender||Meier}}
{{Infobox pageant titleholder
| name            = Gladys Zender
| title = [[Miss Peru 1957]]<br>[[Miss Universe 1957]]
| competitions= [[Miss Peru 1957]]<br>(Winner)<br>[[Miss Universe 1957]]<br>(Winner)
| photo = File:Gladys Zender (1962).jpg
| caption  = Gladys Zender in a 1962 ad
| occupation =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1939|10|19|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Lima]], [[Peru]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://es.paperblog.com/29-de-marzo-gladys-1780140/|title = 29 de Marzo - Gladys}}</ref>
| birth_name       = Gladys Rosa Zender Urbina
| spouse = {{marriage|Antonio Meier|1965}}
| children = 4, including [[Christian Meier|Christian]]
| height={{convert|1.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}<ref name=lodi />
| eye_color = [[Brown eyes|Brown]]<ref name=lodi />
| hair_color= [[Black hair|Black]]<ref name=lodi />
}}

'''Gladys Rosa Zender de Meier''' ([[married and maiden names#Spanish-speaking world|née]] '''Zender Urbina''';  born 19 October 1939) is a Peruvian model and beauty queen who became the first Latina to win the [[Miss Universe]] title. She was crowned Miss Peru Universe 1957 by Miss Peru Universe 1956, Lola Sabogal Morzán.<ref name="montreal" />

==Miss Universe==
Born to a [[Swiss people|Swiss]] father and a Peruvian mother, she won the title of [[Miss Universe 1957]] in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], [[California]], [[United States]].

After being crowned, it was revealed that she was only 17 years old, a few months under the contest's minimum age requirement. Pageant officials decided that she could keep the crown after they were told she was considered to be 18 in Peru.<ref name="montreal" />

==Return to Peru==
Zender became an instant celebrity.

*She flew on the inaugural flight from [[JFK International Airport|Idlewild International Airport]] in [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], to Lima Airport in [[Lima]], Peru, where she was greeted by thousands of fans.
*''[[Caretas]]'', one of Peru's most-popular [[newsmagazine]]s, soon featured Zender on their cover. She was also later featured on that publication's first all-color cover.
* In March 1958, she agreed to accompany the then sailor  [[Juan Carlos I|Juan Carlos de Borbon]], who was on a 4-day stay in Lima during his time as a trainee aboard Spain's insignia ship, the  Sebastian Elcano,  to a couple of social  events.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Esta es la miss Universo peruana de la que se encaprichó el Rey Juan Carlos |url=https://www.elmundo.es/loc/casa-real/2019/11/28/5dde7b87fdddffd86a8b4596.html |date=2019-11-20 |work=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]]}}</ref> He became King of Spain in 1975 and  abdicated the crown to his son [[Felipe VI]],  in  2014. 
* The Peruvian composer [[Alicia Maguiña]] wrote a song called "Polka a Gladys Zender" (Polka dedicated to Gladys Zender). It was also titled "La más hermosa" (The most beautiful) and was recorded by the Peruvian group [[Los Troveros Criollos]].

==Personal life==
Zender married Antonio Meier in 1965, and secluded herself into a family life; they had four children together. Their son, [[Christian Meier]], is a well-known actor and singer in Peru and has achieved some fame in other Latin American countries.
In 2003, Zender allowed ''Caretas'' to photograph her (and Meier's) home showcasing various artifacts, including a collection of [[Inca]]n art the couple have acquired through their years together.

==References==
{{reflist|refs=<ref name=lodi>{{cite news|title=Peruvian beauty, new Miss Universe |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tXIzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zu4HAAAAIBAJ&dq=&pg=4254%2C2246374|access-date=18 April 2019|newspaper=[[Lodi News-Sentinel]]|date=July 20, 1957|agency=[[United Press]]}}</ref><ref name="montreal">{{cite news|title=Whew! She's crowned, but it sure was work|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5oItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cJkFAAAAIBAJ&dq=&pg=2507%2C3736810|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=18 April 2019|newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Montreal Gazette]]|date=July 22, 1957}}</ref>}}

==External links==
* [http://www.lostroveroscriollos.com/video.php?contentID=107 Waltz for Gladys Zender] Peruvian waltz dedicated to Gladys Zender
* [http://www.lostroveroscriollos.com/video.php?contentID=141 Polka for Gladys Zender] Peruvian polka dedicated to Gladys Zender.

{{s-start}}
{{S-ach}}
{{succession box
| before = {{flagicon|United States}} [[Carol Morris]]
| title  = [[Miss Universe]]
| years  = [[Miss Universe 1957|1957]]
| after  = {{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Luz Marina Zuluaga]] †
}}
{{succession box
| before = Lola Sabogal
| title  = [[Miss Peru]]
| years  = 1957
| after  = Beatriz Boluarte
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Miss Universe titleholders}}
{{Miss Universe 1957 delegates}}
{{Big Four Pageants titleholders
|Year = 1957
|Miss World={{flagicon|FIN}} [[Marita Lindahl]]
|Miss Universe={{flagicon|PER}} '''Gladys Zender'''
}}
{{Miss Universe Organization titleholders
|Year = 1957
|Miss Universe= {{flagicon|Peru}} '''Gladys Zender'''
|Miss USA= {{flagicon|Utah}} [[Charlotte Sheffield]]
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zender, Gladys}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Miss Universe 1957 contestants]]
[[Category:Miss Universe winners]]
[[Category:Peruvian beauty pageant winners]]
[[Category:Peruvian female models]]
[[Category:Spouses of politicians]]
[[Category:Peruvian people of Swiss descent]]