Ashley Callingbull made history this weekend when she won the title of Mrs. Universe and she’s the First Nations (or Native American, non-Métis nor Inuit) and Canadian woman to do so! Her aim is to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW), which has already begun to create buzz since the big win on Saturday, and people are already mad that she’s working! I mean, what’s she supposed to do, talk about animal rights and twirl her hair? She had a quick read for her haters too:
“Really? People think I’m too political for my first day as Mrs Universe. Did you really think I was going to just sit there and look pretty? Definitely not. I have a title, a platform and a voice to make change and bring awareness to First Nations issues here in Canada. I’m getting all this media attention and I’m going to use it to the best of my ability. I’m not your typical beauty queen. Look out… I have a voice for change and I’m going to use it!”
Monday was Callingbull’s first official workday as Mrs. Universe and took to Twitter to urge her fellow First Nations citizens to vote out conservative Stephen Harper, because her people are in “desperate need” of a new prime minister. “It feels like the government just does not care about us (First Nations),” she said. “This government is very controlling of our people and soon enough our rights might be taken away.”
She continued to explain to Brandi Morin from APTN National News, “I think that the murdered and missing subject is so crucial. It’s so sad. Say, for example, a Caucasian woman is missing in the news, it’s a big deal, but for First Nations women we are just pushed aside because there’s so many of us missing.” This subject sounds all too familiar, as here in the United States, black women, in particular, are still fighting for natural rights and are still demanding that people look for our missing just as quickly as they would a white woman.
Callingbull is doing a service to all women, because now we can see that this silencing has always been an issue of power. With her new platform, Ashley Callingbull desires to travel around the world, speaking on First Nations issues and will make her first public appearance as Mrs. Universe later this month. This woman has suffered through child sexual abuse and a physically abusive relationship in her past, so we can tell that she’s already going to be a great role model for other women.
Source Cited: CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/edmonton/ashley-callingbull-s-mrs-universe-win-puts-indigenous-issues-in-the-spotlight-1.3210658
TSR Intern: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
