MamaMia : “One of the first questions I got asked by a colleague was whether the Miss Universe Australia organisation would really pick another Indian as they already had one?’” While the comment must have stung, Maria admits it “wasn’t the first time” she’d heard a remark like that.The 27-year-old continued: “In the lead up to the competition finals, I noticed people commenting in online forums that I didn’t look 'Australian enough'.“Since winning, I’ve had non-Australians admit that I challenge their perception of an 'Australian beauty queen' as I don’t fit the tall, blonde ‘beach babe’ Aussie stereotype.”While Maria knows some of these commenters aren’t necessarily “ill-intentioned”, she’s determined to use her voice to speak about.
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