The Miss Universe pageant is one of the most prestigious in the worldwide pageantry circuit. Young women from all over the world compete for the title that has the ability to change their entire life.

This year, Miss Nepal made headlines, she did not win but she made history in another way. Keep reading to learn more about what was so unique about her!

The Miss Universe pageant has a 71 year long history. This year, however, the pageant witnessed something for the first time; a plus-sized contestant. The 22-year-old contestant from Nepal made history by being the first woman to compete who was not the standard size the competition is used to!

While a lot of people appreciated her beauty and different figure, she also faced heavy criticism from people who were unable to appreciate her beauty! Jane Dipika Garrett was candid in her views and also while talking about her feelings. She had always dreamt of being a model but struggled with self-esteem issues. However, participating in the competition helped her to gain a new found confidence in herself.

She said she had not expected the amount of applause she received when she was on stage. The young Nepalese woman said she “wasn’t expecting anything” and participated to represent her country and also “to represent women all over the world.”

While she was passed the world over, the young Miss Universe contestant revealed that she had also received messages which was less than kind. She described some of the messages as down right “cruel.”

She said, “I see things like, ’Oh, she’s a whale,’ or ’Why don’t you go to the gym?’ And things like that.” She went on, “It’s like they don’t even know my story. They don’t even know what I’m going through.”

She revealed that she has been diagnosed with a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The condition involves overproduction of androgens by the ovaries, and thus those who are diagnosed with it have higher levels of them than is normal. PCOS manifests in different people in various ways, while some may gain weight, others might notice irregularities in their menstrual cycles, acne, and an excess in hair growth.

She shared that because of the condition, she had recently gained some weight. The Miss Universe participant said, ’’that’s also really taken a toll on my mental health and my self-esteem because I thought that I wasn’t good enough or that I wasn’t beautiful enough.’’

She still did not let anything get in the way of her giving the Miss Universe pageant her very best. She prepared extensively and made sure she showed her best efforts in order to secure the title.

While there are people who are always negative and will find something wrong with another person’s appearance, we should learn to ignore them! Miss Nepal is indeed a beautiful person, not just on the outside but also on the inside.

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