The world of pageantry is slowly taking a turn for the better, but, the avid fan base that it has acquired, refuses to change. Beauty queens are being subjected to abuse online for everything that doesn’t fit the “norm” of the previous rudimentary pageant rules.

Not long after Miss Belgium winner, Angeline Flor Pua, was subjected to racist comments online, another beauty queen has been called names and tormented by anonymous people online. The tormentors have even gone to the extent of giving death threats to the contestant.

Miss Italia contestant, Alessia Spangulo, stirred the pageant world as she walked on stage with her baby strapped to herself in the swimsuit round of the competition. Alessia said that she decided to take her daughter, Chloe, with her to the preliminary heats of the contest because she had no one to leave her with. “My partner works in a paper factory and my mother is a nurse, so I couldn’t leave [Chloe] behind.”

She declined offers to leave her child with other contestants while she took to the catwalk. “I thought ‘Why should I hide her’.” Of 130 competitors, she was among 18 who made it through to the next round.

But what followed was a hate filled reaction from the pageant’s fans.

She told a section of the media, "Someone posted 'you deserve to die for this', while another said it was 'unnatural' and another told me to stick to being a housewife.”

She added, "I have never felt this kind of violence before but I am refusing to respond. I have put on 2kg since I was pregnant, but they are the most beautiful 2kg I have ever put on."

In a surprising move, Patrizia Mirigliani, the organiser of the contest, who has been frequently accused of being sexist, said, “We are happy to give everyone this opportunity and we reward beauty and talent. My message to other mothers is that your dreams can come true even if you have a child and the 1,000 tasks that come with it.”

“If I win, I will dedicate it to Mirca,” Spagnulo said.

In 1987 Mirca Viola, the Miss Italy winner had her title taken away when she revealed she was a mother. The rules were changed in 1994 to allow mothers to compete.