The latest scandal to hit the pageant world has taken a toll on 19-year-old Stephanie Naumoska, who has been scrutinized for her pin-thin figure since photos of her in a bikini surfaced online.

The 5’11” contestant weighs in at 108 pounds and has a calculated body mass index of 15.1 – stats that appear to be unacceptable to some pageant judges, the media and most of global population.

Since her appearance at this year's Miss Australia, Naumoska – who adamantly denies an eating disorder – has been struggling to defend herself against rumors that continue to make her seem as though she has a mental illness that is affecting the size of her body.

“I have always been slim. My whole life I have always been skinnier than most of the other girls,” Stephanie reveals in interviews.

And while many continue to bash the model for her sub-zero figure, she continues to stand up for all women who have been put through the types of “bullying” she’s received since she hit the stage this week.

So what do I think about the Miss Universe scandal?

That’s easy. As someone who has struggled to gain weight my whole life, I feel (very strongly, in fact) that Miss Australia was mistreated by pageant officials, the media (tabloids and talk shows included) and the greater majority of the population.

It’s not always easy for women to gain weight – just as it’s not always easy for women to lose weight.

When magazines print stories about someone gaining weight and becoming fat, the whole world is up in arms, claiming it’s not fair to discriminate against someone for their weight. Making someone feel bad about themselves when they’re overweight is unacceptable in society – so why is it okay to make someone like Stephanie Naumoska feel uncomfortable about her appearance? It’s hypocritical to think one is okay and not the other – they’re the same concept only reversed.

It’s a two-way street. If you’re going to tell Stephanie that she needs medical help, that she looks unhealthy, that she has an eating disorder or that she looks malnourished then you can’t complain when someone walks up to an overweight person and tells them that they need help, that they look unhealthy, that they have an eating disorder or that they look fat.

If you wouldn’t do that to someone who’s fat, don’t do it to someone who’s skinny! It’s that simple.

How about this: How about we stop focusing on someone’s weight and start focusing on who they are as a person.

Even if Stephanie Naumoska has an eating disorder (which we don’t believe she does), it’s no one else’s business. Just like it’s no one’s business to ask an overweight person how much they weigh or how many bags of chips they pound back a day.

Long story short (perhaps it's too late for that now), Stephanie Naumoska was mistreated and misjudged and we feel as though officials owe her an apology.

Do you think she was mistreated?

Watch an exclusive interview with Stephanie here.

*click photos to enlarge

And now take a look at Rachel Finch (whose measurements are 5'9" 34,24,34), the contestant who ended up winning the pageant and who will proceed to Miss Universe 2009: