Miss Iceland Quits Beauty Pageant After Being Fat-Shamed

Image via Twitter.

In one of the most bizarre moments of the 2016 presidential election, Fat-Shamer-in-Chief/Republican Party nominee Donald Trump went on a 3 a.m. Twitter tirade against former Miss Universe Alicia Machado. Back in 1996, the former pageant owner allegedly called Machado “Miss Piggy” and pressured her to lose weight. When the issue came up on the campaign trail this year, he berated her again on social media, calling her a “con,” “the worst,” and “disgusting.”

This week, another pageant owner was caught fat-shaming a contestant, and the world is applauding the woman’s brave reaction.

21-year-old reigning Miss Iceland, Arna Ýr Jónsdóttir, was in the running for the 2016 Miss Grand International beauty contest in Las Vegas in mid-October. But she promptly quit after its owner, Nawat Itsaragrisil, pulled a Donald Trump and fat-shamed her. Itsaragrisil allegedly told Jónsdóttir she was too fat to win and should give up eating breakfast while sticking to a diet of water and salad.

Image via Twitter.

It’s disturbing that the contest owner would stoop so low as to make Jónsdóttir feel uncomfortable about herself. But what’s even worse is that she has a perfectly healthy body. “Yes, my shoulders are a bit broader than the other girls’ but that is because I was a member of the Icelandic national athletics team and I am proud of that,” Jónsdóttir said about her body. “Personally, I think I’m fine as I am,” she concluded.

Jónsdóttir’s decision to quit the contest has earned her respect from people everywhere, especially those in her native Iceland. “I intend to stand up for myself, women everywhere, and the Icelandic people,” she wrote on Facebook. “I will not let them tell me I am too fat to look good on stage. I have quit. I will not be taking part in Miss Grand In­ternati­onal.”

Although she quit the contest, Jónsdóttir said she didn’t have a desire to go home right away. Instead, she planned to enjoy herself in Las Vegas. “I’m gonna stay in Las Vegas until 26th October,” she wrote on her Instagram page. “Explore the city, eat good food and enjoying the time I have here.”

Image via Twitter.