Gina Heslop
Jane Dipika Garrett, a contestant in the Miss Universe 2023 pageant, recently faced body-shaming after competing in the swimsuit round wearing a silver suit that showed her curvy figure.
As the first plus-size woman to represent Nepal, 22-year-old Garrett received both admiration and harsh criticism for her unique appearance.
While many appreciated her for challenging traditional beauty standards, some critics made hurtful comments, calling her names like “whale” and questioning her presence in the competition. Despite the online negativity, Garrett quickly stood up for herself, aiming to break stereotypes and promote body positivity.
On stage, Garrett received a warm response from the live audience, who applauded her enthusiastically. “I got the loudest applause from the entire audience,” she shared.
To Garrett, this reaction felt like a victory for herself and for society, as it showed that people could embrace beauty in all forms. However, social media brought a flood of hurtful comments, with some accusing her of “promoting obesity” and others questioning why she did not try to lose weight.
Garrett felt deeply hurt by these comments, especially since critics did not understand her personal story. She opened up about living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects hormone levels and can cause symptoms such as weight gain, acne, fatigue, and brain fog.
Garrett explained that her PCOS has made it harder to maintain a slim figure, joking that she gains weight “just by looking at a slice of cake.” The condition also impacted her mental health, causing her to struggle with low self-esteem and feelings of not being “good enough” or “beautiful enough.”
Growing up, Garrett dreamed of becoming a model, but societal beauty standards made her feel insecure. As a naturally “big-boned” person, she felt pressured to conform to the thinness seen in advertisements, even going to extremes like starving herself to fit the mold.
However, through her journey in the pageant, she has come to embrace her body and see her curves as part of her beauty. Now, she wants to inspire other women to accept themselves and be proud of their unique shapes.
After making it into the Top 20 of Miss Universe, Garrett celebrated her achievement on Instagram, expressing gratitude to her supporters. “The screams! I’m so so so happy that I got so much support from millions of people! Top 20, baby!” she wrote.
Representing Nepal and millions of curvy women worldwide, Garrett is proud of how far she has come. In the future, she hopes to launch her own clothing line specifically designed for curvy women, proving that confidence and success are the best ways to overcome criticism.
