I’ve never been a fan of beauty pageants. They often feel like a parade of perfectly posed people treated like decorations — judged on looks first and everything else second. Plenty of people enjoy them, and that’s fine. But a clip I stumbled upon on Twitter made my blood boil, and even though I had another post planned for today, I had to write about this.
During the Miss Universe event, one of the organizers, Nawat Itsaragrisil, called the Mexican contestant “stupid.” When she stood up for herself, he scolded her to “be respectful.” Afterwards he tried to have her removed from the auditorium. That wasn’t the reaction he expected: many young women in the audience stood up and walked out in solidarity. The scene — captured on camera — went viral on social media.
I watched the Mexican contestant’s interview later. She was calm, grounded, and clearly a modern woman who won’t accept being treated that way. I admire her courage.
This man’s behavior is disrespectful and misogynistic. The organizing committee in Thailand should remove him from his position immediately. What gives him the right to insult a young woman who is their guest? Those women are visitors and competitors — they deserve courtesy and hospitality, not humiliation. The days when such behavior was tolerated are over. Women are awake to these micro- and macro-aggressions; younger generations won’t accept them.
Women have worked for decades to win rights and protect what we’ve gained. If my daughter had been in that situation, I’d expect her to stand up — or for organizers to publicly correct and support her. I would have wanted her to keep her dignity rather than be silenced.
Have you been following this story? What do you think should happen next — to the organizer, to the pageant system, and to how we treat women in public spaces? Share your thoughts on Instagram or Facebook.