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The countdown to the Miss Universe pageant is underway. The beauty competition is set to take place on Sunday, August 23, at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas.

Eighty-four beautiful ladies will be competing for the crown. Fifteen contestants will head to the semi-finals, but only one woman will take home the title.

Reigning Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza from Venezuela says becoming Miss Universe was a dream come true. Her reign has been a wonderful experience, she says, and she emphasizes that being a beauty queen today, is not as stereotypical as it used to be.

In fact, Mendoza will be appearing in the September issue of Maxim magazine posing semi-nude. She says the racy photo shoot was endorsed by the Miss Universe organization, which is owned by Donald Trump.

"I never stop taking my clothes off and I'm very glad I got to do it. No, they supported me a lot and helped me to get my photos in there in Maxim. And I say this is what we want, we want to show people that it's fine to take your clothes off while you're not showing too much. It's gracefully done, it's tasteful and it's fashion. It's beautiful and there is nothing wrong with that. Beauty queens don't have to follow the same 20 years ago stereotype anymore," she said.

Current Miss USA contestant Kristen Dalton joked that Mendoza "gets naked with class."