Why pageants are the most diverse industry within the beauty sector:

If you are thinking these words, you’d be wrong in many ways.
Yes, there are a small amount of outdated systems that measure waist sizes but most have adapted to the times unlike the fashion industry and many others in the beauty sector.
Scoring focuses on confidence, fit and color of their outfit, use of staging, and technicality e.g. footwork, posing, and eye contact.

At no point do judges score contestants on their perception of ‘beauty’.

Now I have pale skin so I’m not good enough for the makeup industry and I even get told to tan by photographers because my skin naturally glows.
Is this acceptable?
No

I’m 5ft 5.5″ so I’m not good enough for the runway.
Why not?
I’m confident enough to strut my stuff and sell the items.
Research shows that the average height of a British woman is 5ft 4.7in (164.4cm) so I’m taller than average.
Why aren’t more clothes made for shorter models on the runway?
After all, they will be representing the ‘average’ woman.
Instead, we are conditioned to see tall as beauty.

Girls want to see real and raw beauty.
They want to see themselves represented on billboards, TV screens, in magazines, on runways, and much more.
But we still don’t see it.

Growing up I saw magazines every day that picked on celebrities for their bodies saying ‘the worst beach bodies’.
Bridget Jones was deemed ‘fat’ but she weighed 136lbs (this is the first thing she writes in her diary). Her BMI is at the lower scale of a normal body weight but I was made to see this weight and her body type as unworthy.
Why is this acceptable?
It’s not acceptable but it’s still happening today.

Journalists and even readers are still pulling people apart for a mum bun, cellulite, weight gain, the color of their skin, and much more.
Halle Bailey cast as Ariel for the little mermaid caused uproar but why?
Every girl should be able to watch a Disney movie and see themselves represented.
All girls dream of being a Disney princess or main character and this dream came true for many when she was cast.

So what’s different about pageantry you ask?
EVERYONE is accepted for who they are.
No matter age, weight, height, race, ability, gender, religion, sexual orientation and more.
You don’t feel excluded and this is extremely important.

As I said before a few systems are outdated in weight and height with the bigger systems having an age cut-off because of rules set by the international office.
But there are also systems out there accepting everyone with several categories to enter.
Miss Great Britain which has been running since 1945 recently created a Classic category for over 45s.
This shows that the biggest and longest-running systems are also adapting.
Although they are taking a little longer than some would like, the change is happening and it’s important to recognize that.

Plus-size ladies who aren’t comfortable competing with ‘slimmer’ peers sometimes have the choice to enter a curve category, again this is subject to the system.
However, those without this category have crowned plus-size women so it’s not a must for diversity in pageants.
Everywhere you turn there is representation and this is what young girls need.
Showing that beauty comes in all forms and that they are seen as beautiful.

Why are other industries so far behind on this change?
Unfortunately, many brands and industries only care about sales and they are afraid sales will reduce if things change.
When I know from personal experience that sales will increase if a person saw different people represented instead of what we call a ‘Victoria’s secret’ model.
How many can truly relate to these woman?
Not many at all.
And this is why change needs to happen!

In 2020 I connected with a big UK brand for my awareness calendars (Making The Invisible Visible) but they made myself and others feel like we weren’t good enough for them.
Our photos weren’t shared on social media as promised and they used my page to find others like me with more followers, using them for their promotions instead.
This highlighted their true focus and it was clear that sales were their number one priority instead of their desire to provide true representation.

The pageant community accepts everyone with open arms.
They have helped many people find self-love and confidence, which has enabled them to grow in their everyday lives, school, and careers.
They’ve enabled people to fight through mental health, domestic abuse, bullying, and much more.
I know I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without them and they helped me find myself again at a time I was lost.
Giving me a true sense of purpose in life, after my health deteriorated and life as I knew it, changed in a blink of an eye.

I found pageants at the age of 27, almost 2 years after I had multiple bowel surgeries to remove my colon, appendix, and rectum, due to a severe form of inflammatory bowel disease.
This resulted in me needing a medical device and having visible scarring, the whole journey was challenging and I struggled to find self-love afterwards.
I saw my stoma for the very first time and burst into tears, for 6 long months I was suicidal and couldn’t see a way forward.
I was constantly fighting with myself in the mirror and knew I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone to see my true beauty again.
That’s when I got back in front of the camera and later that year decided to sign up for my first pageant.

I wanted to show the world that my scars were beautiful whilst using my voice and personal story to make a difference.
I knew I could be that representation for someone who needed it, like I needed it back in 2017.
My journey would have been easier if I had seen others with medical devices in the beauty industry and almost 6 years on, there is a long way to go.
Why aren’t we seeing medical devices on billboards yet?
Why do medical devices still get stared at in public?
This is a part of humanity but there’s a lack of understanding due to limited representation and education.

I’m honored to represent the disabled and chronic illness community in pageantry, showing that our journey doesn’t define us and we’re worthy despite the changes to our bodies and everyday lives.
Heading to Las Vegas to compete in the Regency International Pageant enables me to show others like myself that our dreams can still come true and I will use the platform to create global change through awareness and education.

I noticed those living with disabilities or chronic illness were afraid to enter pageants because they felt different from their ‘healthy’ peers and at a disadvantage.
That’s why I created The Warrior Charity Pageant as part of my platform Making The Invisible Visible.
This has become a huge success, raising over £4000 for charity but most importantly helping 50+ people feel accepted, understood, and worthy.
Adjustments are made based on each contestant’s specific needs and everyone taking part lives with at least one mental or physical condition.
This has enabled people to learn about conditions and meet people with a similar story to them so they have further support going forward.
People have walked away gaining self-love and confidence within themselves, they never could have envisioned.
One lady, Karen Bucknall was inspired by my journey, to show her stoma bag in public for the very first time. I cried seeing her lift her top on stage to flash her bag and I had to run over to her for a hug.
I had so much pride in that moment.

It’s been an incredible experience turning my pain into power but hand on heart, I honestly wouldn’t have been able to achieve such great success without pageants and our community.
The huge diversity in the industry has helped me feel welcomed, and accepted, and grow into a woman I’m proud of today.
I know many others have had the same experience and it’s about time, other sectors in the beauty industry follow suit.

We ALL deserve to feel worthy!