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Who Is Alicia Machado? Clinton Attacks Trump Treatment Of Women

New York (CBS Philly) -Towards the end of last night's first presidential debate, Hillary Clinton called out Donald Trump on his treatment of women. She brought up Alicia Machado - the former Miss Universe who says Trump insulted her.

"And one of the worst things he said was about a woman in a beauty contest...and he called this woman 'Miss Piggy,' then he called her 'Miss Housekeeping' because she was Latina" Clinton said. "Donald, she has a name. Her name is Alicia Machado."

Here are a few more things to know about Alicia Machado.

Machado is a former Miss Universe: Machado won the Miss Universe title representing Venezuela in 1996 when she was 19 years old. She was the fourth woman from Venezuela to be named Miss Universe.

Her weight became a controversy in the beauty pageant industry: According to a CNN report at the time, after winning the pageant, Machado allegedly gained nearly 60 pounds. In 1997, rumors began to surface that she would be forced to give up the Miss Universe crown.  Mr. Trump, then an executive producer of the pageant, encouraged her to lose weight, as reported by the  NY Times.

Life after the pageant: Since winning Miss Universe, Machado has become an actress, singer, model and business woman. She was nominated for a Grammy and has launched her own fashion line, according to her website.

She's a US Citizen: Machado became a US citizen in August. 

 

She also has been a vocal about her plans to vote for Hillary Clinton and has campaigned for her. 

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