An American beauty queen has opened up about living with a rare genetic disorder – and explained why she refuses to hide the 25-inch scar it has given her.

Victoria Graham, from Maryland, was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that weakens the joints, skin and blood vessels, over 10 years ago.

Since 2014 she has undergone no less than 10 operations, having her skull re-positioned on her spine and her spine fused, leaving her with a 25-inch scar down her back.

But rather than cover the scar, the 23-year-old embraces it as a part of who she is, and she wants to encourage others to do the same. For this reason, she proudly displayed her scar on stage at the Miss Frostburg 2017 beauty pageant.

“If I stand on stage in a bikini and people can see a 25-inch scar, maybe someone else will be a little bit braver, or have the courage to show their own scars,” she told The Washington Post.

Beauty queen explains why she will never hide her 25-inch scar