Miss Universe Pakistan 2025, Roma Riaz, has spoken out powerfully against the colourist and body-shaming attacks she has faced online. After days of criticism targeting her skin tone and fuller body frame, Riaz released a firm and heartfelt message on Instagram, refusing to stay silent. Reported by NDTV.
In a video message, she addressed how deeply colourism is woven into South Asian societies and how damaging such remarks can be for young women.
“I will not apologise for looking like my people,” she said, reminding viewers that beauty has never been limited to fairness. She emphasised that her skin tone reflects the women “who built our homes, our families, and carried our nation in their hearts.”
Riaz said she stands not just as a contestant, but as a representative of a changing generation—one that rejects restrictive beauty standards.
She urged critics to consider Pakistan’s global image, adding, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, for the sake of Pakistan’s reputation, don’t say anything.”
Speaking to young girls across South Asia, she stressed that beauty is not defined by narrow expectations. Any girl labelled “too dark, too different or too bold,” she said, deserves to be seen and celebrated.
In her caption, Riaz acknowledged the resistance she expected as one of the first dark-skinned women to represent Pakistan internationally. Yet she remains steadfast, saying that every step she takes clears a path for the next generation.
She also thanked supporters from Pakistan, India, Latin America and beyond, noting that “beauty, kindness and unity go far beyond borders.”
As the Miss Universe 2025 pageant approaches in Thailand on November 21, Roma Riaz stands empowered, resilient and focused on redefining what beauty means for South Asian women.