READ: Catriona Gray shares stand against bullying and body-shaming
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray expressed her firm stand against bullying and body-shaming via a Twitter Q&A session.
Catriona entertained answers from her Twitter followers via a Q&A session while experiencing blackout in New York.
A netizen asked, “What is your stand about online bullying and body shaming?”
The reigning beauty queen replied, stressing, “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 "expressing your opinion". With words come power and we should be using those words to build someone up and not pull them down.
“Bodyshaming is hurtful and should never be tolerated. 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 continued in another reply.
Catriona also spoke about appreciating one's self beyond body size and becoming confident.
She wrote, “You are so much more than your body! You are your 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.”
“Confidence isn't something you're born with or that people "just have". 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 also added.
Recently, Catriona was criticized by a Thai beauty queen who called her “fat.”