Beauty pageant contestants are often rewarded for fitting a certain mold, keeping up their good looks while meeting judges' predetermined expectations on what actually makes someone beautiful. But Miss Idaho winner Sierra Sandison is proving that just because she has a health condition doesn't mean that she's any less elegant than the rest of her peers.
Sierra suffers from Type 1 Diabetes, a condition where she is required to wear an insulin pump by her side at all times. And when Sierra entered the 2014 Miss Idaho pageant, the question of whether she would wear her pump during the swimsuit section of the competition was on everyone's minds.
But wearing the pump was a no-brainer to Sierra, as she confidently strutted on stage, not showing the least bit of self-consciousness about her health. Sierra actually wore her pump throughout most of the competition, not just the swimsuit portion. Sierra was instantly praised for her bold move, and she's inspired many who suffer from the condition to not feel uneasy about wearing their pumps in public.
#showmeyourpump has already become a popular hashtag on Twitter, with many users uploading their own proud photos of their health pumps as seen below.
Kudos to Sierra for showing again that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and health conditions.