'They said I looked like I was on my death bed': Miss Universe Australia finalist, 21, shares the cruel 'body-shaming' remarks she receives from online trolls
- A Miss Universe Australia finalist has spoken out about online trolls
- Diana Hills faced nasty comments when she won 2017 Miss Tourism Australia
- The journalism student was being criticised for her thin frame
- But the young woman revealed she has a 'thick skin' after years of body shaming
A young Miss Universe Australia finalist has revealed how she was relentlessly body-shamed by cruel trolls online.
Diana Hills, 21, who's running for the coveted Miss Universe Australia title, said she has always had a svelte physique - but people didn't hold back on their opinions.
The journalism student from the Central Coast of New South Wales was faced with nasty comments shortly before she won the Miss Tourism Australia crown in 2017 at the age of 19.
Diana Hills, a national finalist for the Miss Universe pageant, has revealed how she handled being body shamed by cruel trolls
'People were saying things like, "If that was my daughter I'd be concerned,", "She looks like she's on her death bed",' Diana told Yahoo.
'One person called me emaciated. It was really surprising.'
She said while the comments had an effect on her, she simply ignored them.
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Diana puts her thin frame down to genetics.
'I've always been thin, my mums thin, it's just my genetics. But I've always known I'm healthy,' she said.
Diana said was surprised when she realised the majority of the awful comments were coming from 'older people'.
'People were saying things like, "If that was my daughter I'd be concerned,", "She looks like she's on her death bed.",' Diana told Yahoo
Since this experience Diana has become determined to stop people from body shaming others and this has motivated her even more to succeed
Since the backlash, Diana has become determined to stop people from body shaming others, motivating her even more to succeed.
Now she is turning these negative comments into something positive.
One of her goals in the Miss Universe competition is to be an advocate for positive body image and encouraging women to empower each other which she hopes the platform of the competition will allow her to do.
This isn't the first time Diana has spoken out about the online trolls as she once revealed that it's helped her become who she is today.
'I was surprised to see the comments at first but there were so many people with positive comments that it outweighed the negative,' Diana previously told The Daily Telegraph.
'I have heard it my whole life so I've had to grow a thick skin. I've always been thin, my mum is thin. I know I'm healthy though so I'm OK with that. I know I'm fine.
'I never thought Australians had a look - I'm an Australian and I represent Australia.'
Miss Tourism Global 2016 Tasha Ross (left) standing with Simone Smith (far right) and Diana who was crowned Miss Tourism Australia 2017
