Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse, Autism Did Not Stop These Candidates From Joining Miss Universe 2020
They turned their personal setbacks into a higher purpose.
The Miss Universe competition has redefined the branding of pageants over the years. It is no longer about society’s standards of beauty; it has centered on women as empowered individuals who can better the world through their advocacies. In the course of time, the importance of proper representation in the pageant has been highlighted and deemed significant more than anything. Miss Universe is making us realize we have to look beyond the “perfect” façade – that flawed women can take the stage despite their personal hurdles.
With the influence these major pageants hold, it is extremely important for the candidates to maximize the platform given to them. During the preliminaries and interviews of Miss Universe 2020 held in the last few weeks, some of the candidates revealed that their personal setbacks and disabilities fueled their desire to join the pageant. Through this, we get to see that women are even more empowered when their vulnerabilities don’t hold them back.
Miss Curacao 2020 has autism.
In an interview, Miss Curacao 2020 Chantal Wiertz opened up about being recently diagnosed with Level 1 Autism and how she wants to break the stigma against it. .
Chantal said that she already felt like something was different about her as she was growing up, but she only got tested not long ago. Afterward, she and her team started a campaign using the hashtag #CelebrateYourUniqueness to promote each person’s individuality. “Now that I have conquered my fears, I can proudly say that I have autism and that does not change anything about me. It does not define me. It just shows who I am and it’s my uniqueness,” she says.
She also said that she was initially advised to hide her autism (since she could), but she refuses to do so. Chantal wants to be able to use her platform to spread awareness about this condition and how to overcome the struggles. She also supports the Autism Aid Foundation and other organizations that shed light on autism.
Check out her Miss Universe profile here.
Miss Haiti 2020 was a victim of sexual assault.
According to this article, Miss Haiti 2020 went through sexual abuse at a very young age. Eden Berandoive narrates how she was attacked by her Spanish teacher when she was 15 years old and how she spent 2 months at the hospital to recover. She recounts her experience during her personal interview and shared that her parents did not want her to go back to school. Despite her traumatic experience, she fought harder for her goals. “I am a determined woman, I said no. I have to do this because I have a mission and I have to inspire others because education is the most powerful weapon to change the world,” she exclaims.
In spite of what she went through, Eden was able to beat the odds and is presently studying Entrepreneurship, English, and Psychology. She also works as the Marketing Lead at JL Fine shoes in Port-au-Prince.
Check out her Miss Universe profile here.
Miss Belize 2020 survived an abusive relationship.
In “The Power Of Being A Woman” forum, Miss Belize 2020 shares how she survived an abusive relationship. Iris Salguero was 17 years old when her abuser broke into her house and attacked her. She explains the struggle of not being able to talk about her situation and how incredibly lucky she was to be able to walk out of it alive. Since then, she made it to a point to tell her story as a survivor and empower women who are going through the same thing. “I love the word survivor, because I think there’s stigma behind the word ‘victim,’” she mentioned.
Iris explains how important it is to connect with her community and be able to help out other women reaching out to her. It has been the most fulfilling thing for her to offer advice and assistance to them based on her experience.
Check out her Miss Universe profile here.
Miss Vietnam 2020 was a victim of sexual harassment.
Miss Vietnam 2020 reveals in her Up Close interview that she was a victim of sexual harassment. Khanh Van Nguyen Tran shares how she kept this story from everyone and how she felt like she had no way through it. She describes her younger self as a frail girl with no self-confidence. But once she was able to share the story with her loved ones, they supported her and became her source of strength.
Khanh Van said that boxing helped her heal from this experience. “After being a victim of sexual harassment, I overcame it and came back stronger. I find that boxing is a sport that I can practice to not only defend myself but also help me to be more confident. And when I feel fatigue and stress, practicing boxing make me feel very comfortable and relaxed,” she shares. She also likes the fact that through this sport, she can not only protect herself but others as well.
Check out her Miss Universe profile here.
Miss Malta 2020 survived physical abuse.
Miss Malta 2020 describes how passionate she is about the organization she is associated with because they are working towards a cause that is very close to her heart. Anthea Zammit is working with the Freedom Charity organization because she was a victim of physical abuse herself. She was admitted to the hospital for two weeks as a result.
After that experience, Anthea decided to help other women who are going through the similar situation. She aspires to be a criminal lawyer and is at her 2nd year of law school. “I want to be a voice for women who have been through what I have been through, and I want to see justice for women who have been through what I have been through,” she declares.
Check out her Miss Universe profile here.
Miss Barbados 2020 overcame gender-based violence.
Miss Barbados 2020 speaks about gender-based violence. Hillary-Ann Williams shares that she is a survivor of this phenomenon and explains how it can happen to anybody. This is the reason why she uses her platform as much as she can with absolute passion.
During the pandemic, she also experienced job displacement. Because of this, she decided to become the CEO of her own digital marketing agency. “Safety is an absolute right; it is not an option, and every woman needs to know that she’s not alone going through this process and that there are outlets for her to seek safety,” Hilary-Ann says.
Check out her Miss Universe profile here.
In this digital era, it is immensely critical that influential beauty pageant candidates and the media portray women to be powerful regardless of hindrances — especially when content can be easily consumed by young women who constantly look for inspiration online. With persistent action, we get to reinvent the standards of beauty and communicate that women can be flawed, women can be imperfect, women can have disabilities, and women can have setbacks yet still be able to conquer the universe.
Watch the 69th Miss Universe Grand Coronation Night on May 17, 2021, 8 AM (Philippine time) for free via the A2Z channel, which is also available online through the Cignal Play app. You can also watch it in real time, along with some exclusive clips and a backstage pass for free, through the iQiyi app or the iQiyi website.
Only 13 hours left to vote! Votes are still ongoing for the Top 21 candidates, which will be announced at the final competition! Head over to the Miss Universe official website to cast your vote. For PH-based users, you may do so through Lazada Philippines, the official Miss Universe voting platform in the country.
Your feelings are valid. You are valid. And there is no shame in asking for help.
If you need someone to listen, call the National Mental Health Crisis Hotlines at 0917-899-8727, (02) 7989-8727 or 1553 (toll-free landline) anytime, 24/7.
You may also call hotlines 0917-8001123 or (02) 8893-7603 for free telephone counseling in the Philippines.
