Plus size winners ooze with body confidence
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday October 20, 2016 14:48
Unlike many pageants, it was hosted mainly to celebrate, a curvy, fully figured and chubby Batswana women who signify the true beauty of an African woman.
In an interview with Showbiz, the queen who had earlier proven that she was not only a plus size with a beautiful face but also a beauty with brains, Mmangaka Tumagole said she was very thrilled to have won the title. The 23-years-old is a Journalism and Media student at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. The young woman said even though she originates from Tlokweng, she has spent most of her life in Mogoditshane.
“I was thrilled when I learnt that for the first time ever the plus size women were given a chance to embrace their bodies and beauty pageant wise. The beauty contest also gave us a chance to showcase our talent so I found it befitting to be part of this pageant,” she said proudly.
Tumagole described herself as an inspiration to plus size women out there who lack confidence. She said that she felt such women had been shunned because of their bodies. She added that it was about time the world or rather Batswana were shown that they too had feelings like petite women.
“I want people’s views towards us to be changed. Our bodies are African women bodies and there is nothing wrong with them. We are as healthy as everyone else and we do not have to feel inferior or bad about who we are,” she said emphatically.
Miss Plus Size Universe Botswana 2016 winner also said she was looking forward to competing with fellow plus size women in Trinidad in March next year. However, she pointed out that she was more excited and nervous at the same time but promised to do her best to make Batswana proud as their eyes would be on her.
Furthermore, Tumagole pointed out that she could have not made it without her family and friends support. She thanked them and urged them to continue supporting her. She also said when she joined the pageant she wanted to put smiles on her family’s faces, more especially her father, as they recently lost her brother in a tragic accident.
Second princess Gabby Mochudi who is a Media and Public Relations student at the University of Botswana felt honoured to have been crowned the first princess. The 20-year-old young woman from Thamaga said one does not have to be petite to look fabulous. She said plus size or bigger women were also talented and hardworking just like other women.
“People think that because we are bigger, we are lazy and cannot do anything that petite women do. This is just a perception because we can do the same or probably better things than they can do. We are hard working and talented people. We are not as lazy as people think and we have to prove them wrong,” she said.
Mochudi said people could achieve whatever they put their mind on. She said through the pageant they would be able to enforce in people’s mind that they were equal and that people must support each other.
The beautiful lady added that she could have not made it without her mother’s support. She also thanked the director, organising team and the contestants for their support. She said through the pageant, she and fellow plus size contestants have become sisters and now have a bond that no one could break.
The second princess Natasha Olopeng who is a fashion student at LISOF college of Fashion in South Africa said she joined the pageant because she felt it would be a great platform to promote and empower plus size women to embrace their beauty and also to appreciate themselves outside the norm of society.
“The actual pageant encourages plus size women to feel comfortable and beautiful in their bodies. Being crowned the second princess was one of the greatest achievements because the competition was an experience I had to come out of my comfort zone. I see myself as quiet a shy person and the competition was a good lesson that I used to prove to myself that I can do anything I put my mind to,” she said.
She vowed to help her queen with every endeavor that she ventures into regarding the plus size community in elevating them into another level. She further encouraged the organisers and sponsors of the pageantry to continue the competition annually because it creates a platform for plus size women to challenge and appreciate themselves.