Miss Universe Contestant Hits Back After She’s Body Shamed

After a “full figure” contestant donned a silver swimsuit for the Miss Universe Pageant, she got body-shamed for being too curvy to be considered a beauty queen. That’s when she hit back at the critics who called her some pretty horrible things.

The first plus-size woman to participate in Miss Universe has responded to cruel critics who referred to her as a “whale.” Jane Dipika Garrett, 22, represented Nepal in the Miss Universe 2023 pageant. All of her curves were on full display when she walked out on stage in the swimsuit competition.

Garrett made history by being the first woman to compete who was not the typical size of beauty pageant contestants. While many people admired her beauty and unique physique, she also received harsh criticism from those who were unable to appreciate her curvy figure, particularly when she appeared in her silver swimsuit.

Jane Dipika Garrett received a warm reaction from the live people in attendance. “I got the loudest applause from the whole entire audience,” she said. “And that felt so good because it was like a breakthrough moment for me and for society that they see something different, that they see real size beauty.”

However, Garrett was astounded by the number of hateful comments that she received on social media. “I see things like, ’Oh, she’s a whale,’ or ’Why don’t you go to the gym?’ And things like that,” she said. “They don’t even know what I’m going through.”

Jane Dipika Garrett claims that social media users wrote negative comments about her body that were “disgusting,” and she was accused of “promoting obesity.” She responded to the harsh words, attempting to clear up any bad assumptions made by her critics. “They don’t even know my backstory,” she said.

Garrett explained that she had been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which happens when a woman produces a higher amount of male sex hormones. PCOS can result in weight gain, acne, excess body hair, and irregular periods. As a result of this condition, Garrett said she has gained weight and joked that she can pile on a few pounds just by looking at a slice of cake.

Explaining how her self-esteem took a dive, Garrett said she had to “learn how to have a positive mindset” again. “That’s also really taken a toll on my mental health and my self-esteem because I thought that I wasn’t good enough or that I wasn’t beautiful enough,” she said. In addition to weight gain, Garrett said she also experiences fatigue and brain fog as a result of her PCOS.

Ultimately, Garrett said she was determined to rise above the criticism and said negative comments from her haters are “their problem.” Growing up, the beauty pageant contestant said she had always wanted to be a model. She confessed that she is “naturally big-boned” and would stave herself to try and look like the models in ad campaigns.

After finishing in the Top 20 of the Miss Universe Pageant, Garrett posted a celebratory message on Instagram, “The screams! I’m so so so happy that I got so much support from millions of people! Thank you for the support. Top 20 baby! Such an honor to reach a placement and represent millions of women around the world and my beautiful country Nepal!”

Jane Dipika Garrett said her mental health suffered as a child because she would often compare herself to other girls in school who were “very thin.” Now, she embraces her curves. In the future, Garrett revealed she intends to make her own clothing line for curvy women. Success is always the best way to silence your critics.