Lucy Maino, Miss Papua New Guinea (PNG), was stripped of her crown over her TikTok video of her twerking because it revealed a culture of sexism and misogyny in the country. The video was shared on her private account, and it went viral after it was downloaded and shared on other social media platforms, as reported by The Guardian.

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Maino, 25, received backlash for the video after it was circulated on social media platforms, as the critics found it “inappropriate”. And eventually, Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG (MPIP PNG) committee adjudged to ‘release’ the 2019 winner of Miss PNG from her duties.

MPIP PNG stated, “ After discussions with Miss Maino last week, MPIP PNG now formally advises that the reign of the 2019 crowned Miss Papua New Guinea had come to an end and Miss Maino has been released with immediate effect”. They said that they are focused on developing young women “holistically”.

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“Ensuring that they grow in terms of academia, social consciousness, personal development, and exposure to a bigger brighter world with awareness of issues facing PNG and the region”, elaborated MPIP PNG.

The decision by MPIP PNG has also been heavily criticised on social media. The United Nations in PNG on Facebook said that it was an example of feeding into cyber-bullying. “While constructive criticism and dissenting views are legitimate, bullying is NEVER acceptable in any form: neither digital or in-person”, said United Nations in Papua New Guinea.

Lucy Maino has also represented in the national football team of PNG as a full-back. She has scored two goals in four appearances since her debut in 2019.