When we talk about beauty pageants, it’s always women with the same beauty - tall and slim.
Although beauty pageants have changed over the years by allowing plus-size women to enter, we hardly see them at the finale and when we do, it’s those who wear size 32-34 and have a slim waist.
Nigerian fashion content creator Ufa Dania broke the internet when she entered Miss Universe Nigeria to represent the girls who have always been sidelined.
Breaking the Eurocentric beauty standards, Dania is a dark-skinned plus-size woman. And her being in the competition is a powerful statement to show girls like her that they are beautiful and have space in beauty pageants.
“The most controversial part about me running the competition is the fact that I may not look like the standard ‘pageant girlie’ but I beg to differ. I cannot be boxed.
“The trajectory of my life has led me to this very moment. Since I’ve been born, I’ve always been chubby. I came into the world with the fullness of God.
“I was literally bullied all my life from primary one down to JS3 [third year of secondary school]. So imagine back in those days being fat, then you’re now dark, I’m sorry but your own is finished,” she said.
Although she faced some criticism on social media, Dania has grown a thick skin and is confident enough not to allow negative remarks to shake her.
“But I have risen from the ashes like a phoenix. I have suffered from low self-esteem, low self-confidence and insecurity. But I have learnt from that and I have grown from that.
“What makes a woman a true queen is not just her looks, but rather the fact that she pays heed to the cries and the needs of the people in her community,” she said.
“Ufa is an audacious lady who takes charge of her life and doesn’t let anybody tell her that she cannot.”
As the only plus-size woman in the competition, South Africans are rallying behind her and hope that she wins so that she can make it to Miss Universe later this year and show the world that dark-skinned girls with her body image are just as beautiful, capable and deserving ass everyone else.
“Since we are all about changing stereotypes! Miss Kwara for Miss Universe Nigeria! We made history with our first ever deaf Miss SA, let's make history for Nigeria too. Let's vote for Miss Kwara,” said @nelly_weideman.
Another X user, @Patriotic_Tee, said: Love it for her. It’s a pity the Miss World/Universe’s standard of beauty is skinny ladies. But as a chubby hun [girl] myself, I love this chikka’s [girl’s] confidence and the fact that she pushed through the barriers to get to this point.“