Did Miss Cosmo 2024 Ketut Permata Juliastrid call out MGI head Nawat Itsaragrisil?
Ketut Permata Juliastrid (left) and Nawat Itsaragrisil. Images: Instagram/@misscosmointernational, Facebook/Miss Grand International
Miss Cosmo 2024 Ketut Permata Juliastrid called out a “president of a major international [pageant] organization” for degrading a fellow woman despite claiming to “advocate for ending violence,” seemingly hinting toward Miss Grand International (MGI) president Nawat Itsaragrisil.
Without mentioning either the MGI organization or Itsaragrisil, Juliastrid took to her Instagram page on Thursday, June 5, to express her dismay toward “someone in power” who “publicly humiliated a woman.”
“You can support whoever you want, but if you’re still clapping when someone in power publicly humiliates a woman, then we have a bigger problem. This is not the example we should set for young girls watching. We deserve better. We demand better,” she said.
View this post on Instagram
Juliastrid said she initially kept quiet because she didn’t want to insert herself into “drama that wasn’t” hers as she didn’t know the full story. However, witnessing the alleged humiliation of a fellow woman urged her to speak up.
“With the facts in front of me, I’ve seen and heard the words for myself. The president of a major international organization, one that claims to advocate for ending violence, went on record to body shame and degrade a woman. He called her delusional. He mocked her body. He made cruel comments about how she smells,” she said without naming anyone in particular.
“This is no longer about personal issues or whose side you’re on. It’s about a man in power publicly [bodyshaming] a woman. It’s about a leader, someone who claims to fight against violence, making degrading and objectifying comments about a woman’s body,” she added.
The Indonesian beauty queen also reiterated that pageantry is supposed to be a platform for women to “lead, to grow, to speak up, and to shine,” instead of being an avenue for “abuse of power and women to be disrespected.”
“Pageantry is supposed to be about giving women the chance to lead, to grow, to speak up, and to shine. We’ve fought to prove that this industry is about more than beauty. It’s about purpose, voice, and strength. But moments like this undo that work,” she said. “It doesn’t matter whose side you’re on. What matters is that we never stay silent when power is abused and women are disrespected.”
Despite the incident, the Miss Cosmo titleholder urged her fellow women to remind themselves that they are worthy of respect.
“To anyone watching this unfold, especially young girls, know this: you are more than your looks. You deserve respect. You have the right to take up space without being humiliated for it. We all do,” she said.
Juliastrid’s post earned the attention of her followers including former Miss Universe president Paula Shugart and Miss Universe Thailand 2023 Anntonia Porsild, who liked her post.
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@tatajuliastrid
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@tatajuliastrid
Meanwhile, unseated Miss Grand International titleholder Rachel Gupta expressed her gratitude to Juliastrid in the comments.
Image: Screengrab from Instagram/@tatajuliastrid
The MGI president has yet to publicly address Juliastrid’s remarks as of this writing.
Itsaragrisil is currently in hot water after Gupta announced the abdication of her title last May, citing “constant harassment, mental torture and systemic mistreatment.” This led the MGI head to declare that the latter was stripped of her title for being unable to fulfill her duties.
Following Gupta’s departure, her runner-up, CJ Opiaza, assumed her title earlier this month.
Juliastrid made history as the first woman to be crowned Miss Cosmo in October 2024. The Philippines’ own Ahtisa Manalo finished at the Top 10. /ra
