“Body-shaming is hurtful,” said reigning Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray to her followers on Twitter a week after screenshots of a Thai beauty queen’s post calling her “fat” circulated online.
On Sunday, July 14, followers brought up the topics of bullying and body-shaming as Gray opened a question-and-answer session on her Twitter account.
When asked for her opinion on online bullying, she wrote, “Obviously I stand firmly against any form of bullying and bashing—online and off.”
“It is never, ever okay to put someone down for the sake of ‘expressing your opinion.’ With words come power and we should be using those words to build someone up and not pull them down,” she added.
She was also asked for her stand on body-shaming which she stressed as “hurtful” and should never be tolerated. Gray emphasized that “you are more than your appearance” and told her followers that they are “worthy.”
She wrote, “Body-shaming is hurtful and should never be tolerated. If anyone reading this too has been body-shamed, I know how it feels. I’m sorry you’ve had to experience that. But know that you are more than your appearance. You are a capable, unique and worthy person. And you are never alone.”
Bodyshaming is hurtful and shld never be tolerated. If anyone reading this too has been bodyshamed, I know how it feels. I'm sorry you've had to experience that. But knw that you are more than your appearance. You are a capable, unique and worthy person. And you are never alone.
— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) July 14, 2019
Even though she did not mention any instance where she became a victim of bullying or body-shaming, her words of encouragement somewhat addressed the issue regarding a Thai beauty queen who supposedly insulted her by calling her “fat.”
It was on June 29 when Coco Arayha Suparurk, the newly crowned Miss Grand Thailand 2019 posted on her Instagram story a photoshopped photo of Gray. In her caption, she shamelessly described the reigning Miss Universe “fat” and even compared her to Miss Grand International 2018 Clara Sosa.
Her post was already deleted but pageant fans were able to screenshot her post and uploaded it online.
Fans called out Suparurk for her rude remarks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzaVyulAT5r/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Among those who defended Gray was Miss Universe Canada 2016 Siera Bearchell, by saying people’s comments are “disturbing” and can negatively affect young women who are struggling [to love themselves for who they are and what they are] with their body image.
In her Twitter chat with fans, Gray gave positive remarks and advice especially to a girl who had trouble loving herself.
In response, she wrote: “You are so much more than your body! You are your mind and your unique talents and your character and your life experiences and your personality! You are so so much more than the exterior! And people will always remember how you made them feel and not how you looked.”
A fan also asked her how to be confident in which Gray replied, “Confidence isn’t something you’re born with or that people ‘just have’. It’s like a ‘muscle’ that you have to decide to use and it strengthens the more you work on it. so continue to work on yourself, embrace your uniqueness and be kind and positive!”
https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150231435170734080
https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150217113405181952
https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150217890446098435
Many fans took the opportunity to ask her questions and Gray happily replied to almost all of it even the personal ones.
