Evita Patsey Edgar, a 20-year-old from the State of Sabah, North-eastern Malaysia, has auditioned to compete in next year’s Miss Universe competition. Council worker asked to 'prove' she lost family at Grenfell fire
In the process, she’s opened up about a childhood fraught with bullying.
Today, the unique pattern of moles, covering her face and body, are considered beguilingly beautiful. They could even offer her a competitive edge against more conventional beauty queens.
Indeed, the beauty industry is changing and we have started to witness other, hugely successful models with similarly unusual skin conditions, such as Chantelle Brown-Young.
The industry is gradually recognising the need to broaden their conception of beauty.
Sadly, her school friends were less receptive to her unique looks, branding her a ‘monster’.
Evita remembers: ‘It definitely wasn’t easy for me.
‘I got bullied in primary school and the other kids would call me names […] which was really tough to swallow as a young girl I was really timid and I shied away as I didn’t know how to deal with it all.
‘In fact, [I] even asked my dad to come to the school to scold the mean kids!”
Eventually, the cruelty took its toll and Evita grew to detest her looks. She longed to be rid of the moles, even consulting doctors about the possibility of having them removed. They declined, deeming it too great a medical risk.
‘Luckily, the bullying lessened later on,’ she says. ‘It was when I attended a church camp at the age of 16 that I really learned how to love myself and communicate with others.
‘This was probably the first time I truly started accepting who I was, how I look.’
Now, Evita has her sights set on the 2018 competition, hoping to become Miss Universe Malaysia 2018.
However, she nurtures wider ambitions beyond personal glory.
She said that if she does not get selected, she will continue to enter pageants to show other girls that beauty comes in all forms. She certainly has our vote.
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