When photographer Joseph Juban shared an image of this year’s Miss Singapore Beauty Pageant finalists on Instagram, he was a bit elated that it became widely shared on different pages on Facebook.

But while the photo of contestants immediately went viral, it did so for some not-so-favorable reasons. It turns out, some netizens did not find the women befitting to the contest, with many brutally criticizing the girls for not having good looks according to their standards. Some comments were even peppered with the occasional racial slurs.

Indeed, the less-than-flattering photo of the group was mercilessly lambasted to the point that the photographer just kept the photo hidden from public view.

Similarly, when the organizer posted a group photo of the girls after a gym workout on the pageant’s official Facebook page, the barrage of insults continued and the photo had to be taken down as well, reports AsiaOne.

Fortunately, the girls also have some fans who have been backing them up and expressing some love and support.

It is important to note, however, that the contestants who joined the pageant are not actually vying for the more prestigious Miss Universe or Miss World pageants.

According to the organizer’s IG page, the winner of Miss Singapore Tourism Queen International will represent Singapore to compete in China for Miss Tourism Queen International. Meanwhile, the winner of Miss Singapore Global Queen will compete in South Korea for Miss Global Beauty Queen, while the winner of Miss Singapore Chinatown will be in Hong Kong to compete in the annual Miss Chinese International Pageant.