Bangla Press Desk: Miss Universe Pakistan Roma Riaz is done staying quiet.
After days of being targeted with comments claiming she doesn’t “look Pakistani enough” because of her skin tone and fuller frame, the beauty queen has directly addressed the hate — and her response is powerful.
Riaz, who is representing Pakistan at the Miss Universe 2025 pageant in Thailand, posted an Instagram reel calling out the colourist and body-shaming remarks she has been receiving.
“I will not apologise for looking like my people,” she said, stressing that the criticism often stems from the toxic belief that fairness equals beauty. Colourism, she reminded her followers, teaches people “to celebrate fairness and forget where they came from.”
“I am Pakistani in my roots, in my values, and in every shade of my skin,” she said. “My skin is the same colour as the women who built our homes, our families, and carried our nation in their hearts.”
Miss Universe Pakistan Roma Riaz. Photo COLLECTED BY DOLLER
She added that she proudly represents not just Pakistan but “a new generation of South Asian women who don’t fit into the narrow boxes of what society thinks we should look like.”
“Why do we hate our own people?”
Switching to Urdu in her message to Pakistanis, Riaz questioned why some people were so quick to belittle their own countrywomen. She said she constantly tells the world how beautiful Pakistan’s people are, only to be asked why those same people spread so much negativity about her.
Riaz urged critics not to sabotage the image she is trying to build. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if you don’t have anything nice to say, please, for the sake of Pakistan’s reputation, don’t say anything.”
In a direct message to young girls, she added: “Any girl who has been labelled ‘too dark, too different or too bold’ represents Pakistan just as much as anyone else.”
Miss Universe Pakistan Roma Riaz. Photo COLLECTED BY DOLLER
Colourism: A deeply rooted problem
Riaz’s comments have reignited conversations around colourism in Pakistan — a belief system rooted in colonisation and class bias, where lighter skin is often treated as superior. These attitudes infiltrate everything from marriage proposals to job opportunities, and even the way people respond to different accents, elevating English spoken with foreign flair over Urdu and regional languages.
Riaz’s public rejection of these prejudices — embracing her skin, her culture and her language — has resonated with many who rarely see such conversations unfold on a global stage.
Doubling down on culture
Riaz also recently defended her choice to wear a sari at one of the Miss Universe events, calling it “as Pakistani as the shalwar kameez” and refusing to let cultural narratives be “rewritten or erased.”
Miss Universe Pakistan Roma Riaz. Photo COLLECTED BY DOLLER
A bigger question: What should Miss Universe stand for?
As Riaz faces trolling online, others on the internet have been debating the very criteria of beauty pageants.
One user wrote, “Criteria like height, weight, body colour, accent, age should be removed from Miss Universe.”
Another added, “She’s gorgeous, please! Embrace the melanin. The colonizers left decades ago — it’s time!”
Others applauded her stance on representation: “If you have daughters, think about the message you’re sending them. It shapes who they become.”
Miss Universe Pakistan Roma Riaz. Photo COLLECTED BY DOLLER
The Miss Universe 2025 controversy
This year’s pageant is already under scrutiny for unrelated reasons. Several contestants — including Miss Universe Mexico Fátima Bosch — staged a walkout after organiser Nawat Itsaragrisil allegedly berated Bosch, reportedly calling her a “dumb head” for not participating in promotional activities.
Miss Universe Denmark Victoria Kjaer Theilvig walked out in protest, saying, “This is about women’s rights. To trash another girl is beyond disrespectful. That’s why I’m taking my coat and I’m walking out.”
Bosch later issued her own statement: “I’m not afraid to make my voice heard… I’m not a doll to be made up and styled. I came here to be a voice for all the women and girls who fight for causes.”
Miss Universe Pakistan Roma Riaz. Photo COLLECTED BY DOLLER
The bigger picture
What Roma Riaz is facing isn’t new — but her refusal to shrink herself to fit traditional beauty standards feels like a turning point. Her message is clear: Pakistan is not defined by one skin tone, one body type or one idea of beauty.
It’s time, truly, to stop policing women for the colour of their skin and to stop tearing down a woman who is doing her best to represent her country on a world stage.
BP/SP
