Davina Bennett, the second runner-up of Miss Universe 2017, may not have won the much-coveted pageant but she sure turned the social media upside down when she stepped out on the Miss Universe stage wearing an afro. It was essential for the 21-year-old model and philanthropist to proudly wear her natural hair. Where she was expected like the rest, to follow the standard norm of straight long hair look at the competition, she dazzled the Miss Universe stage with her frizzy locks, making each and every Jamaican proud of her.

The Jamaican diva proudly showed her natural hair as she highlighted the importance of not following the standardized form of beauty that the society expects from all the women. She regularly uses her Instagram account to discuss about how people of color are discriminated against, to wear their natural hairstyle as it is deemed unprofessional. 

She has also started a movement on her Instagram with hash tags such as Afro Friday and freeyour fro Friday where she asks her followers to send their pictures wearing their natural hair and by doing so, she proudly represents the breaking of the generic beauty stereotypes. She posts these pictures on her account every Friday to emphasize the importance of understanding that there may not be someone representing such beauty in the world but it does not mean that the standardized norms of a woman’s beauty is the only base that one has to follow.

Almost a week ago, Davina posted an old picture of her with her mother on Instagram where she is seen sitting cross legged on the floor and her mother is combing her hair into plaits. In an emotional caption, she reminisced how it was difficult for her to accept her natural hair and could not wait to get it straightened. From then to now, Davina has had an immense transformation in the way she looks at herself and proudly represents her natural self. 

Davina uses her platform to address the issues related to coloured skin and the discrimination against people of colour in the professional front too. She urges her followers to embrace their culture and skin tone that others see as too different.

Well, we all know now, how Davina Bennett has been using her platform to achieve what most fail to. Kudos to her for promoting body confidence while making a mark for herself as a person of colour in a world that does not appreciate anything that strays out of the standardized form of beauty.