During the first presidential debate on Monday, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton recited a long list of Donald Trump’s sexist remarks. One of her Republican counterpart’s many offenses got special attention:
“One of the worst things he said is about a woman in a beauty contest. He loves beauty contests, supporting them and hanging around them. And he called this woman ‘Miss Piggy.’ Then he called her ‘Miss Housekeeping’ because she was Latina. Donald, she has a name. Her name is Alicia Machado, and she has become a U.S. citizen. And you can bet she is going to vote this November.”
Donald Trump called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping."
Her name is Alicia Machado. #DebateNight pic.twitter.com/0wrISjJe6z
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 27, 2016
‘I Was Very Depressed’
Machado, a native of Venezuela, was named Miss Universe in 1996. At the time, Donald Trump owned the Miss Universe contest, along with Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Trump was monstrous to her and the other contestants. Machado called him a “bully.”
After winning the contest, Machado said she gained about 20 pounds (Trump claimed it was 50 pounds). Even though Machado was still at a perfectly healthy weight, Trump insisted that she lose the pounds she’d gained since winning the Miss Universe crown. He called her an “eating machine” in an interview with Howard Stern.
To shame Machado into losing weight, he arranged a media circus to watch her work out. Reporters and camera crews filmed her exercise routine. Trump paraded her about like an animal at the zoo.
In an interview with Inside Edition, Machado described her state as:
“So sad. I was very depressed.”
A Happier Place
Machado continued to struggle with the eating disorders she first developed while a beauty contestant. But she began psychotherapy to cope with her body-image issues, and found success as an actress in telenovelas. In 2004 she released her first pop music album. A second album followed in 2010.
As Clinton said, Machado is now an American citizen. In the Inside Edition interview, Machado summed up her feelings on Trump:
“For sure, he’s not a good person.”
I received my passport ! I'm ready to vote For my country for you @HillaryClinton for my daughter For women workers pic.twitter.com/U5lSwWxiHc
— ALICIA MACHADO (@machadooficial) September 27, 2016
The interviewer asked if she intended to vote for Trump in November. Machado just laughed.
