Catriona Gray speaks out about body-shaming

FILE: “Sawasdee Thailand. So happy to be back in a country that is so so special to me.” (Photo: @catriona_gray/Instagram)

Amidst controversies being called “fat” by Miss Grand Thailand 2019 Arayha Suparuk, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray has finally provided her opinions on body-shaming as a whole, indirectly addressing the issue to her more than 575,000 Twitter followers last Sunday, July 14.

Catriona welcomed questions from her supporters after encountering a power outage in Manhattan, numerous asking about the Filipina-Australian’s stand on body-shaming. She replies, “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 adds, “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,” then encourages her followers, stating, “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.”

In addition, Catriona advised one specific follower who asked about confidence and “loving the way [she] is,” sharing, “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.

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She elaborates, “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!” The 25-year-old tells another follower, “Insecurities will always be there, but your ability to work past them is what you can work on. Be kind to yourself, we’re all works in progress and that’s okay.”

Catriona will be passing her crown to the next Miss Universe in December 2019.