Australia’s Miss Universe representative, Lexie Brant, has become the target of racist and exclusionary comments online, with critics claiming the 22-year-old Queenslander is “not Australian enough” to represent the nation on the world stage.
Brant, a Brisbane-born model and occupational therapy student, also appeared in a viral TikTok clip walking the runway at the Miss Universe pageant — only for viewers to flood the comments with claims that she “doesn’t look Australian” or should have “walked out for Miss Mexico.”
The bizarre criticism revealed how deeply ingrained racial stereotypes about “what an Australian looks like” still are. “I thought Australian women looked different,” another viewer wrote.
A racist social media comment reacting to the Miss Universe pageant also read:
“What has become of Australia. We now have an Indian as Miss Australia. Shame on you Albo!!”
The post, which wrongly linked the choice of a beauty pageant winner to the Prime Minister, reflects the persistence of racial ignorance and resentment towards Australia’s growing multicultural identity.
Experts believe such remarks ignore the reality that more than half of Australians are either born overseas or have at least one migrant parent, and that the nation’s identity is built on diversity.
Indian-Australian Talent Mentor Raj Suri challenged narrow perceptions of Australian identity, emphasising the country’s diversity.
Suri told The Australia Today, “The notion that an Australian Indian woman ‘doesn’t look Australian enough’ is outdated. Australia is built on ‘coming from somewhere,’ and our strength is in our diversity. The ability to embrace proud Indian heritage while feeling unequivocally Aussie is what truly defines us as a progressive nation.”
“If an Australian Indian woman can go to the beach in a bikini one day and proudly walk in a sari the next, that should not be a problem—it is a celebration! … Traditional mainstream media must play a vital role in shaping awareness of our beautiful evolving Australian identity in the wider community, both locally and globally.”
Previous Miss Universe Australia winners, including Francesca Hung, Priya Serrao, and Maria Thattil, all faced racist abuse questioning their legitimacy as “real Australians”.
The online vitriol directed at Brant underscores how racism and ignorance continue to shape perceptions of Australian identity. In a country proud of its multicultural roots, the backlash serves as a stark reminder that Australia’s beauty is not confined to one colour, background, or face — and never has been.
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