Each year Miss Universe fosters unwritten, but strict, ideal beauty standards that contestants are expected to adhere to. And with the winner's announcement imminent, this year has been no exception: certain contestants have been criticised by online trolls, influencers and now the media.
During a press junket, Miss Canada Siera Bearchell was left speechless after being asked "How does it feel to be so much larger than the other delegates?"
Bearchell later took to social media to slam the comments, saying she "feels great" to be part of a movement to redefine beauty standards.
"How does it feel to be myself? How does it feel to be confident in who I am? How does it feel to fulfil my dream of representing Canada on the Miss Universe stage? How does it feel to be a role model for so many young women who struggle to find someone to look up to? How does it feel to redefine beauty?'" she wrote in her social media response.
Her answer, "It feels great."
Bearchell, who is a law student, runner and co-owner of an apparel company, has openly documented the episodes of body-shaming she has faced during her pageant journey. She hopes to inspire other women to feel comfortable in their own skin.
Many people on social media have praised Bearchell for speaking out against unrealistic standards, saying that influencers and pageant alumni should have defended the 23-year-old.
Instead she had to fend off the comments of former contestant Miss Universe 1969, Gloria Diaz, who said that Bearchell could take out the competition "if she could lose eight pounds."
"I have a vision to redefine beauty," Bearchall wrote in one of her Instagram posts. "I have a vision in which women around the world will recognise that true beauty, validation and self-worth start from within."
In another post she encouraged women to start seeking validation from within and in their achievements rather than just in physical beauty.
Bearchell gained some weight since competing in her local competition, but made the point that the discipline and work it takes to achieve a model body should not be seen as more important than other forms of discipline and achievements.
"It takes discipline to have the body of a Miss Universe. It also takes discipline to be accepted into Law School. It takes discipline to run a marathon. It takes discipline to be true to ourselves in a world that is constantly trying to shape us into something we are not. People have asked me if I changed my body to prove a point. No. Our lives are fluid, dynamic and ever-changing. So are our bodies."
"My body is not naturally lean and that's okay. I am healthy. I am fit. I am confident. I am me. This is who I am right now and I'm okay with it, so you should be too."
Body diversity activist and model Ashley Graham, who has taken on the role of backstage host of the Miss Universe pageant, said it was "crazy" to label someone who is a size 6 as "larger". Graham told GMA that it was her "hope and dream" for women of all body compositions to compete without being subjected criticism at the hands of unrealistic beauty standards.
"My hope and dream is that women of all shapes and sizes (and clearly we have so many different ethnicities that are in the Miss Universe right now) are able to compete and win and not have anybody talk about their weight because it is the most ridiculous thing."