Ashley Callingbull Faces Death Threats After Calling Out Pageant Racism

The controversy ignited on August 8 in Windsor, Ontario, when Callingbull, a Plains Cree woman from Enoch Cree Nation, saw contestants wearing outfits that mimicked Indigenous regalia. One costume featured a feathered headdress and a red handprint, symbols associated with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement, while another utilized furs and braids. Callingbull, who was co-hosting the event, felt these displays were a mockery of her heritage.

When the teleprompter failed during the live broadcast, Callingbull abandoned the script to address the audience directly about the appropriation. The intervention prompted the Miss Universe Canada organization to promise new costume guidelines and invite Callingbull to serve as a cultural liaison. While both contestants involved have since issued apologies, the public response towards Callingbull turned hostile, with anonymous messages urging her to take her own life.

Despite the emotional toll, Callingbull maintains that silence was never an option. Drawing on advice from her grandfather about the necessity of speaking out to drive change, she remains focused on the long-term goal of systemic reform. The pageant organization has accepted responsibility for the oversight, a move Callingbull identifies as a crucial step toward accountability, even as she navigates the volatile environment surrounding the international competition circuit.