Miss Universe Australia Maria Thattil reflects on being rejected and compared to a ‘monster’ because of the color of her skin: ‘I was heartbroken’
Maria Thattil wrote an emotional column on Wednesday about the nature of heartbreak.
The former Miss Universe Australia, 30, wrote in the 9Honey article, she became well-equipped to deal with a broken heart after being betrayed by those she cared about.
“I was heartbroken when, at the age of five, the little boy I had a crush on told me he didn’t like me because I was ‘a dirty-skinned monster,'” she began.
“Heartbroken when I was 12 when my childhood best friend waged a campaign of unkindness against me, inspired by gossip and rumor.”
She then revealed that one of the biggest challenges for her was coming out as bisexual last year because she was worried about how people would react.
Maria Thattil (pictured) wrote an emotional column on Wednesday about the nature of heartbreak
“As an openly straight woman from a culturally conservative family who really wanted to know a woman’s taste—but didn’t think it would be possible.”
The raven-black beauty then said that she had emerged as a stronger woman overall by constantly working through and overcoming various forms of heartbreak.
“Having a broken heart is what led me to where I am today. The world can make you hard and make you afraid to hide, but if your heart doesn’t break, was it ever loving?’
The former Miss Universe Australia, 30, wrote in the 9Honey column that she became well-equipped to deal with a broken heart after being betrayed by those she cared about
Maria opened up about her sexuality in January last year when she participated in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
She later said she had hidden her sexuality for years because it had “a lot of homophobic sentiments in it” [her] school about being a lesbian’.
“It’s something I’ve felt for a long time,” she shared The Daily Telegraph.
“I was heartbroken when, at the age of five, the little boy I had a crush on told me he couldn’t like me because I was ‘a dirty-skinned monster,'” Maria began
“I grew up having crushes on girls in school and completely invalidated it because of religion and also because there was a lot of homophobic feelings about lesbians in my school, about anything but heteronormativity.
“You don’t have a lot of bisexual visibility in popular culture and so you don’t understand what it is.”
In April 2022, Maria revealed that she was no longer afraid of dating women in public, having previously admitted she was concerned about how it would be perceived.
“I’m no longer afraid of the story being taken out of my hands,” she told Who magazine.
The raven-black beauty then said that she had come out as a stronger woman by constantly working through and overcoming various forms of heartbreak.