What would you change in your life if you could silence the voice that tells you you’re not enough, keep quiet, you can’t do it, or there is no space for you?
One of Australia’s boldest voices, Maria Thattil was propelled into the spotlight when she was crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2020.
She placed in the top 10 of the international competition in 2021 and was only the third woman of colour to represent Australia in the pageant’s 69-year history.
As a queer child of South Asian immigrants growing up in suburban Melbourne, Maria knows what it is like to struggle with belonging, to have confusing, disparate identities, none of them fitting traditional ideas of worth, power or success.
In her upcoming book set to be published by Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) in February 2023, Unbounded, Maria shares galvanising stories of what she has lived and learned through experiencing racism, sexism, financial hardship, intergenerational trauma, homophobia and mental health challenges.
Leveraging her degrees in psychology and human resources management, and current training in neurocoaching, Unbounded is part inspiration, part memoir, offering a 10-step resource for people who wish to explore their own identity, free themselves from limiting beliefs and inspire change in their own life.
“Writing my first book Unbounded was a process of me baring my soul on pages,” she said.
“I have never shared so much. It was a deeply personal journey to pen the moments behind the highs, lows and everything in between.
“But I wanted readers to feel like they’re in the rooms with me, when these defining moments in my life happened. I wanted them to feel like they’re sitting on a couch with me, talking to a loving friend who gets it.
“And while reliving trauma and sharing so many honest, unfiltered parts of myself is raw, it was something I knew I needed to do because people connect with stories, and it’s how I can share what I’ve learned about living beyond limits.
Turning my own pain into power, has been my superpower. And now I want to help others do the same. “Unbounded is the most rewarding and fulfilling thing I’ve ever done.”
As a media personality, activist, writer, and speaker, Maria has created a media platform fiercely advocating for inclusion and equality.
As a sought-after columnist, she has gained a respected reputation as an insightful and skilled opinion writer authoring powerful pieces on racism, leadership, sexism and empowerment for a variety of reputable outlets including Stellar magazine, 9Honey, SBS, Mamamia, Yahoo! and Women’s Agenda. She has headlined global campaigns championing LGBTQIA+ rights, inclusion and equality for brands including Olay, Clinique, Piper Heidseick and L’Oréal Paris. A current panelist on Channel 9’s Today Extra and Talking Honey, Maria’s 2022 appearance on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! made waves internationally when she came out as bisexual on-air, helping to de-stigmatise people’s sexual preferences.
A passionate advocate for diversity, Maria has dedicated her career to campaigning for change and representation.
Izzy Yates, head of Penguin Publishing Lab, said, “Maria is an incredibly inspiring person with a generous determination to help others. The thought-provoking and uplifting experiences she shares in Unbounded are sure to resonate with many who are on a similar path towards living freely, on their own terms.”
