“I still get very emotional whenever I look back at the Miss Universe competition and see how far I’ve come, but overall, everything I do and every day that comes towards me is always an exciting experience.”
Anntonia Porsild, who came second in Miss Universe 2023, looked back on her favorite moments in the competition in El Salvador in November. Even though three months have passed, the Thai-Danish beauty queen still feels like the whole experience on the Miss Universe stage is unbelievable to her and she treasures every moment as if it were.
For many Thais, the final night, when she was named the runner up, was a memorable night but, for Anntonia, it was also the national costume competition, when she dressed as Phra Mae Thorani, The Goddess of Nature in Buddhist mythology. That particular round, she says, was when she felt most anxious.
“I always get very emotional about the national costume round, because it’s an opportunity for each country to really display what their country has to offer; from the culture, the history, to everything that it holds. So, because I feel so connected with my own culture, I felt like there was more pressure for me to succeed and to do that in the best way possible.”
Thailand’s Goddess Earth comes to the Miss Universe stage
Her position as runner up on the Miss Universe stage, the highest achievement of a Thai contestant for 35 years, became a huge source of pride for many Thais, evident by the large crowds who welcomed the beauty queen on her return to Suvarnabhumi airport. Anntonia’s journey towards the crown also inspired many young Thai girls, which she accepts with a humility.
“I never thought that I would be an inspiration to other people,” she said. “It’s usually me seeing others as an inspiration to me, but every day I try to do my best and I always try to lead with purpose and with grace, so that people can see that it’s so easy to be just like their idols or people they aspire to be, as long as they take that first step and dare to just dream big.”
Despite her accomplishments and accolades, Anntonia is still among many other beauty queens who still have to navigate social pressure, criticism and even cyberbullying, which have caused her moments of self-doubt.
“I don’t want to say that I got through it, because every day is or was a struggle,” Anntonia explains. “I’m still trying to work through it now, because even today, I still get comments, I still get bullied and I still get a lot of people saying nasty things about me, but I always feel like it’s our duty to choose how we react to certain situations.”
In fact, dealing with criticism is not an easy task for everyone and most people often assume that public figures must tolerate all forms of criticism, including hate speech, only because they are in the “spotlight”. Regardless, Anntonia believes that everyone still has the power to choose how they react and to move on from such negativity. The Miss Universe runner-up also says that those who bully others often come from a “place of pain” and, therefore, it is not Anntonia’s nor anyone’s responsibility to find happiness for them.
“So, my natural reaction is to just ignore what they say and focus on positive people and the positive energy around me. You don’t need to focus on the negativity or on the people who don’t even know you, but feel they have something to say. I always tell myself; imagine hating someone so much, but you don’t even know them.”
From the UN to eco-business to charity – the many lives of Thai beauty queen Anntonia Porsild
Beauty pageant winners, traditional gender expectations and showing respect to women
In present times, beauty contests have transformed into a platform for women from all backgrounds to express their opinions on societal and global issues. This demonstrates that they are more than just attractive and have the ability to bring about positive changes. However, Anntonia thinks that women today still need to prove themselves, especially to those who hold old-fashioned views of beauty queens.
“I believe that beauty queens in this era have more to demonstrate, because they are often seen as only being attractive. But I also feel that this generation has more opportunities to express their thoughts and show everyone that being a beauty queen is not just about looks,” she explains.
“We are strong and independent women with careers. Some of us are doctors, teachers, or policewomen, and we have the chance to inspire and empower others to pursue their dreams. Sometimes we have to work harder than others, but we should not hesitate to use our influence and voice to advocate for what is right.”
On International Women’s Day, Anntonia shared her views on the lack of women’s empowerment in Thai society. She spoke about her struggles with online criticism and societal expectations of women, particularly beauty queens. She also highlighted a more significant issue affecting the current perception of Thai women.
“Often, the traditional Thai woman is expected to be gentle, agreeable, avoid conflicts, stay at home, and care for the children. It is not seen positively when we are ambitious businesswomen or have aspirations beyond family care. As a beauty queen, I want to convey the message that you can pursue any goal you have, because I believe there is still a long way to go due to our acceptance of traditional beliefs.”
Out of all the stereotypes of Thai women, such as their appearance, behavior, and traditional gender expectations, Anntonia is most frustrated by the social expectation, often voiced by older women and even her own generation, that women should find wealthy husbands to lead a happy and comfortable life.
“This always makes me question the mindset of women in society,” she said. “Why do we need to rely on a man to make us happy or support us, when we are capable of doing that ourselves? I don’t judge those who choose to [marry a rich husband], but I feel it should not be the default option for women. We are capable of many things and should not depend on someone else just to live comfortably. Wanting an easy life is understandable, but wouldn't it be more fulfilling to create that ease and happiness for ourselves?”
When asked about the changes she hopes to see in women’s empowerment, especially in Thailand, Anntonia believes that the first step is changing the perception of equality and the attitude toward women. She also feels that women should show more respect towards each other, rather than competing or putting each other down.
“It’s not about women being superior to men, it’s about acknowledging that we are equal,” she stated. “We all have the ability to achieve the same things. We shouldn't belittle someone just because they're a woman or think they should be less respected because they're not a man. I believe it all starts with us as individuals in society, before we can demand change at the government level. When women can show respect for each other, that’s where the change begins, because, if we’re constantly scrutinizing each other, judging each other and comparing who’s better, who’s richer or who has what, we’re already taking one step backwards.”
Meanwhile, the most important thing, which Anntonia believes should be taught to young girls today, is to listen to your heart, pursue your desires and not wait for anyone’s approval to do what you have always wanted to do.
“It’s okay to be the voice that you want to hear. You don’t need to wait for someone else to say it first. You don’t need to wait to be told what to do. If you feel that your heart is there and you want to do it, just go for it. You don’t need to sit around and wait for things to happen for you when you know that you’re capable of making it happen yourself.”
Even though taking the first step is always the most challenging, which can cause people fear to start something new, the Thai-Danish beauty queen insists that people should “dare to dream” and that it only takes that first courageous step to begin achieving what they really want in their lives.
“I would say, don’t hold yourself back. It’s always going be scary, because we don’t know what’s going to happen, but don’t let that fear hold you back from achieving greatness.”
Life after Miss Universe
As to what she plans to do after she completes her reign as Miss Universe Thailand, Anntonia seems to have many things in hand, from her philanthropic Little Steps project and her sun spray business to her local Pad-Mee-Korat restaurant.
One of her bigger aspirations is to either pursue an acting career, like most of her Miss Universe Thailand predecessors, or focus on music, which she says would allow her to express her identity through her creativity.
“When we do our work as beauty queens, we’re always ‘acting’ in the persona that we want people to see and I feel that in music, you can be your own person through your music. You can share your characteristics, your dreams and your message through your music. I feel there’s a lot more I want people to see that make me who I am, apart from holder of the Miss Universe Thailand crown.”
By Nad Bunnag, Thai PBS World
