Push Admin

‘Bodyshaming is hurtful’: Catriona Gray breaks silence, tells followers, ‘You are worthy’

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/tvpatrol/07/10/20190610-bb-pilipinas-gc-4415.jpg"/><figcaption>Reigning Miss Unvierse Catriona Gray delivers her farewell speech during the 2019 Binibining Pilipinas pageant in June. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Reigning Miss Universe Catriona Gray has spoken up against bodyshaming, a week after screenshots of a Thai beauty queen supposedly calling her “fat” circulated among pageant fans online.</p><p>The topics of bullying and bodyshaming were brought up by followers of Gray on Twitter on Sunday, as she opened for the first time a question-and-answer session on the microblogging platform.</p><p>“Obviously I stand firmly against any form of bullying and bashing — online and off,” she wrote, when asked for her stand on online bullying.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">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 &quot;expressing your opinion&quot;. With words come power and we should be using those words to build someone up and not pull them down. 💛</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150212397480763394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>“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 added.</p><p>Asked specifically about “bodyshaming,” Gray referred to it as “hurtful,” and stressed that it “should never be tolerated.”</p><p>“If anyone reading this too has been bodyshamed, 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,” she went on.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bodyshaming is hurtful and shld never be tolerated. If anyone reading this too has been bodyshamed, I know how it feels. I&#x27;m sorry you&#x27;ve had to experience that. But knw that you are more than your appearance. You are a capable, unique and worthy person. And you are never alone.</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150216064502030336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Gray did not specify an instance where she became the target of bodyshaming. Her followers, however, were quick to link her words of encouragement to last week’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E21HjaYNLQE">headlines</a> about a Miss Grand Thailand candidate, Coco Arayha Suparurk, sharing an Instagram story describing Gray as “fat.”</p><p>Suparurk was eventually crowned Miss Grand Thailand 2019 on Saturday.</p><p>Among those who came to Gray’s defense was Miss Universe Canada 2016 Siera Bearchell, who, in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XJaTKFTkM">YouTube vlog</a>, lamented how bodyshaming a popular personality such as Gray, given her role, can negatively affect young women who are struggling with their body image.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">You are so much more than your body! You are you 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. 💛</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150231435170734080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Gray happened to address this precise issue on Sunday, when a follower who described herself as a “fat girl” sought her advice in light of her having “trouble loving [myself] the way I am.”</p><p>Gray responded: “You are so much more than your body! You are you 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.”</p><p>In her Twitter chat with fans, Gray also shared that her confidence is a conscious effort, and “isn’t something you’re born with or that people ‘just have.’”</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Confidence isnt something you&#x27;re born with or that people &quot;just have&quot;. Its like a &quot;muscle&quot; 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!</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150217113405181952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Insecurities will always be there, but your ability to work past them is what you can work on. Be kind to yourself, we&#x27;re all works in progress and that&#x27;s okay. 💙</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150219085701111813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>“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,” she said.</p><p>Asked for her advice to those who are battling insecurities, Gray answered: “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.”</p><p>Gray tackled several other topics on Sunday, including how she deals with “bad days,” her stage persona in contrast to her “introverted” real-life self, feuding pageant fans, and criticisms on the apparent lack of overseas travels during her Miss Universe reign.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Honestly? I need to cry it out, then write down my thoughts so I can process. Bc if I dont understand why I&#x27;m down then I cant get over it. I usually realise it&#x27;s not that bad - whatever I&#x27;m upset about. Then I go and be with people I love, or do something that makes me happy 🌞</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150217890446098435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Who I am on stage and who I am in person, are very very different. I&#x27;m actually quite shy and introverted. But I see it as &quot;performing&quot; when I&#x27;m on stage and I take on this confident persona. Hope this helps! 💙</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150224856656601088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">As MsUniverse, I&#x27;m the ambassador of an org who&#x27;s mission isnt to visit as many countries as possible in a year but to be a charitable spokesperson and brand ambassador. I feel validated through the cause work that I do - I would rather count lives impacted, than passport stamps.</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150214135294152704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I dont condone any form of bullying or bashing. Even if it&#x27;s in response to an initial comment or in the name of &quot;protecting&quot; or &quot;standing up&quot;. If you respond to hate with hate, you have a never ending cycle. All of us have the power to be the difference, and I hope we will. 💙</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150233210367991808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">That&#x27;s alot of pressure and responsibility to be placed on your shoulders. Providing for ur family should only be done if u have means to do so. Communicate what the sacrifice means to you but also I dont feel that this is the way to gain affection and recognition from ur parents</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150224571808854021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Well first make an informed decision. If you still feel like the reward will be worth the risk ie pursuing a dream job, then go for it! You&#x27;ll never know unless you try! I risked joining my national Pageant and overcame all my fears and it definitely paid off. Goodluck!! 🤗</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150216647124426754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you for the support from the beginning! Would&#x27;ve had to been my homecoming in the PH 🇵🇭 I&#x27;ve never experienced that level of love and support before. One of the best experiences of my life.</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150218603767242752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It will get better. I promise you. Just have faith and stay true to the ambition that&#x27;s in your heart - I really believe it&#x27;s there for a reason. 💛</p>— Catriona Gray (@catrionaelisa) <a href="https://twitter.com/catrionaelisa/status/1150231066130681859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>

<p>Reigning Miss Universe Catriona Gray has spoken up against bodyshaming, a week after screenshots of a Thai beauty queen supposedly calling her “fat” circulated among pageant fans online.</p>

Reigning Miss Universe Catriona Gray has spoken up against bodyshaming, a week after screenshots of a Thai beauty queen supposedly calling her “fat” circulated among pageant fans online.