Kali Navea-Huff, the proud representative of Pasig City in Miss Universe Philippines 2023, recently took to her Instagram to address the barrage of negative comments and hurtful remarks she received from haters during her MUPH journey. In an empowering post, she spoke out against the culture of online harassment and body-shaming that women endure, not just in the pageant world but in society as a whole.
READ: Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Pasig Representative Kali Navea-Huff Takes a Stand Against Online Harassment and Body-Shaming in the Pageant World
"No matter how secure I am in what I have to offer, no one has the license to try to push me over the edge. To try to paint me, the women who see themselves in me, or the communities and advocacies I fight for (and with) as unimportant or undeserving of basic decency," she wrote.
Before her decision to compete in the pageant herself, Kali had been a mentor to aspiring beauty queens, including well-known names like Rabiya Mateo and Beatrice Luigi Gomez, as well as Binibining Pilipinas International 2021, Hannah Arnold. Her experience as a mentor and her dedication to empowering young women exemplify her commitment to uplifting others.
At the time of the competition, the mentor turned beauty queen was 27 years old, the maximum age limit allowed for contestants to take part in the pageant. Regrettably, some individuals used her age as an opportunity to make disparaging remarks, calling her "tita" or "auntie" and even suggesting she looked over 40 years old. Hurtful comments about her body were also hurled at her.
In response, Kali wrote, "The fact that people still believe they have every right to comment on a woman's body, or any aspect of her life, isn't just ignorant and sexist...it's violent."
Undeterred by the negativity, she bravely confronted the issue of psychological violence, body-shaming, harassment, and the silencing of women on the internet. She highlighted how such behavior perpetuates a culture in which women are objectified and expected to conform to society's ever-changing standards.
She ended her post with a call for change, urging everyone to put an end to the objectification and harassment faced by women in pageantry and beyond. "People will say 'don't join a pageant if you can't handle negative comments.' But, we never joined to be objectified or harassed. And we have to stop treating that as a given. Instead of telling women to grow thicker skin, why not do our part to ensure that pageants, and all places that aim to empower women, allow women to show what they could do? Not what they should.”
Sparking a much-needed conversation about online harassment and the unfair expectations imposed on women, netizens and members of the pageant community also aired their frustrations in the comments of her post.
Netizens and Beauty Queens React to Kali Nivea-Huff’s Empowering Post
Former mentee and fellow beauty queen, Arnold Han commented, “Omg!! I’m fuming with these comments [angry emoji] if only they took a few more minutes to look deeper and get to know you. You are amazing Kal! You are a queen! [heart emoji]”
Netizens and pageant titleholders such as Miss Environment International 2022 first-runner-up Michell Arceo, and Miss World Philippines 2022, Gwen Fourniol also left supportive and encouraging comments on her post.
Her courage in speaking out against these harmful practices serves as an inspiration to many, reinforcing the importance of fostering a culture of respect, empowerment, and support for women in all spheres of life.
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