Miss Nepal Receives Criticism for Participating in Miss Universe 2023: “They Don’t Even Know My Story”

In the 71-year legacy of Miss Universe, 2023 stands out as the first time a plus-sized contestant has participated. The 23-year-old Miss Nepal made history by confidently displaying her stunning physique onstage. While many people rallied behind her, celebrating her beauty, a significant part of the global audience also voiced criticism. She bravely confronted these comments, sharing her perspective and personal experiences.

Her confidence was truly remarkable.

Jane Dipika Garrett expressed her delightful surprise at her considerable progress in the November 2023 competition. Long aspiring to become a model, she confronted previous challenges linked to low self-esteem. The overwhelmingly positive feedback she received during the competition became a validating moment, strengthening her newfound confidence to embrace her true identity.

“I came with a humble heart... but when I won on that stage, I got the loudest applause from the whole entire audience,” she revealed.

Garrett remarked that she was taken aback by the amount of applause she received on stage. She clarified that she had no specific expectations and was participating solely to represent her country and women worldwide. “It was like a breakthrough moment for me and for society that they see something different and real size beauty,” she shared.

Opinions were mixed.

While receiving admiration worldwide for her stunning appearance, the 23-year-old revealed she encountered substantial criticism. She acknowledged that some incoming messages were far from positive. Jane revealed, “I see things like, ’Oh, she’s a whale,’ or ’Why don’t you go to the gym?’ And things like that.” She continued, “It’s like they don’t even know my story. They don’t even know what I’m going through.”

She is pursuing her dreams despite the challenges she faces.

The beauty contestant explained that she deals with a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This health condition involves the ovaries producing higher levels of androgens than usual in women. PCOS can lead to different effects, such as weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles, acne, and increased hair growth. “The other thing is mood swings, a lot of fatigue. So every day, like, it’s very difficult because we just continuously feel tired,” Jane explained.

She mentioned that her condition had caused significant weight gain recently, which affected her mental well-being and self-esteem. Despite this, Garrett embarked on a journey to foster a positive mindset and embrace her identity. Witnessing her confident presence on stage clearly shows she has triumphed in this path of self-acceptance.

Miss Nepal looks stunning, and it’s a noteworthy step for the Miss Universe competition to embrace and honor the beauty and diversity of women’s bodies, acknowledging different shapes and sizes. To see how past Miss Universe winners look now, read this article.