Model Born With No Arms Aims to be Miss Mexico

Model Ana Gabriela Molina wants to break pageant stereotypes by winning the Miss Veracruz title in Mexico.

Born without arms, the 24-year-old psychology graduate, said this week that accepting her condition had been tough but that she wanted to set an example for others living with a disability, according to an article by Reuters.

Ever since she was a little girl, Molina dreamed of participating in a beauty pageant. "I always told my family, one day, they'd see me there, modeling or competing," she said in an interview with a local news channel. At the time, her family dismissed what she said.

"I've managed to overcome everything that has happened to me in my whole life," Molina said in an interview.

She explained that having no arms does not deprive her from doing what she wants to do like eating, using a mobile phone or writing. She performs all these tasks with her feet - all with perfectly manicured and painted toenails.

Molina has already been crowned Miss Nanchital and in March, she represent her hometown in Veracruz, a state on the Gulf of Mexico which is home to more than 8 million people. If she wins, she will compete at the Miss Mexico pageant in June.

"I'm going to face the same tests as everyone else, and I'm going to get through them," Molina said. "I feel like any other normal person because I've lived my life like that. So, for me my disability is not a limit, on the contrary."

Aside from occasionally working as a model for a clothing line, Molina also gives motivational talks to empower women that no matter who you are or what condition you have, as long as you are determined and you believe in yourself, you can attain success.

The Mexican model is not the first one to challenge traditional perceptions in pageantry. In 2019, Rachel Barcellona, an activist and beauty queen, is the first person with autism to compete in the Miss Florida pageant, according to an article in Newsweek.

Barcellona is the current Miss Manatee River 2019. She won the title of Miss Florida International in 2016 and the title of Miss Southeast International in 2017.

In 2018, Angela Ponce made international headlines for being the first transgender woman to join and win Miss Spain and compete at Miss Universe.

Although she wasn't able to bag the Miss Universe crown, the 27-year-old model said it was "an honor and pride" to be part of the history of the pageant.

"This is for you, for those who have no visibility, no voice, because we all deserve a world of respect, inclusion and freedom," Ponce said. "And today I am here, proudly representing my nation, all women and human rights."

Competitions promoting unrealistic standards of beauty have been critiqued for years. In fact, the criteria by which women are chosen or even eligible to compete is very problematic in itself as contestants must be between the age of 18 and 25 and a certain height and weight and their body measurements must not exceed a certain number of inches -but for Molina, none of that matters. The Mexican model wants her success to be an example for other girls who look just like her.