Miss Papua New Guinea has been stripped of her crown over a TikTok video which shows her twerking. Critics of the move say that it reveals a culture of misogyny and sexism in the island country.
Lucy Maino, 25, shared a video of herself twerking on her private TikTok account. According to The Guardian, the clip was downloaded from her private account and shared widely on social media platforms, sparking intense criticism and cyber bullying of Ms Maino. Thousands of critics branded the dance "inappropriate" and said it was not fitting for a role model to share such videos.
Following the backlash, Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG (MPIP PNG) committee decided to 'release' Ms Maino, the 2019 winner of Miss Papua New Guinea, from her duties.
"After discussions with Miss Maino last week, MPIP PNG now formally advises that the reign of the 2019 crowned Miss Papua New Guinea had come to an end and Miss Maino has been released with immediate effect," MPIP PNG said in a statement.
"The MPIP PNG is focused on developing young women holistically, ensuring that they grow in terms of academia, social consciousness, personal development, and exposure to a bigger brighter world with awareness of issues facing PNG and the region," the statement continued.
The decision to strip Ms Maino of her crown as heavily criticised. The United Nations in Papua New Guinea called it an instance of giving in to cyber bullying in a Facebook post.
"The committee could have handled it better by first outlining the clause that she breached as a reigning queen ... I feel that they threw her under the bus and didn't give her a chance to come out and talk. That is not the way to go," a women's advocate, who did not wish to be named, told The Guardian.
