After being told she was too fat for a beauty pageant in Las Vegas, Miss Iceland has quit the competition in protest.
Arna Ýr Jónsdóttir, who was named Miss Iceland 2015, has written an emotional letter to the owner of the Miss Grand International beauty contest explaining why she's leaving.
"Your staff told me that I had to lose weight... because I have too much fat on me," she says in the letter, which was also posted on Instagram.
"They told me to eat less and then you would like me more... If anyone tells me that I'm too fat or whatever, they just don't deserve me."
The beauty pageant's president and recipient of Jónsdóttir's letter, Nawat Itsaragrisil, released a statement in response that defended his staff's actions.
Itsaragrisil says Jónsdóttir was told she "may be a little fat" and should try to lose weight to win, insisting this was "a normal process".
The 20-year-old model from Reykjavik has received countless messages of support on social media of her actions.
"Miss Iceland is great and I hope this starts a revolution because pageants are dumb and set women up for disappointment," wrote one commenter.
"It's a big disgrace how they treated you. Not only for you, but to a lot of other younger girls. Wrong signal. You're beautiful and please never change! We love you just like you are," wrote another.
Jónsdóttir, who has been a gymnast since she was 10, hopes the pageant organisers "open their eyes".
"The year is 2016 and if you are gonna hold an international pageant you have to be able to see the international beauty," she says.
"In my country, my body shape is perfect. That's what I'm gonna remember. No one will ever tell me anything else."
In a follow-up interview, Jónsdóttir says after quitting the competition she spent her time in Las Vegas exploring the city and eating good food.
Newshub.
