Pageant's best curvy queens- by Hannah Golding

Beyonce once sung, "I don't think you're ready for this jelly..." but the pageant world is finally ready for the "Bootylicious" girls that Destiny's Child championed. It's no secret that society's version of a beauty queen is a slim, trim, long haired beauty with impeccable speech and posture. She is virtuous and kind, the traditions set back in the 1960's where beauty queens were to be unmarried and without children. Fast forward to 2016 and now any woman can compete for that crown, whether they are skinny, curvy, married, have children, tattoos, pint sized and even, shock horror, divorced! There are so many pageants that have become more accepting, rather than asking for a certain size and height. It's a new era of pageant queens, the ones who truly love their bodies and don't let a number change what they can and can not do! Here are just a few curvy pageant girls who rocked the runway this year....

Sarah Pritchard- Mrs Galaxy 2016

(Photo by Brain Hayes)

One of the biggest pageants in the UK today, which sees thousands of girls from all of the UK travel up north for a four day weekend consisting of sparkles, crowns and as many high low swishing as you can shake your fist at! The winner's then go onto America to compete internationally which us Brit's always do well. Welcome Mrs Pritchard onto the stage, who at a size 14/16 blew the competition out of the waters to be crowned Mrs Galaxy and dare I say the first size 14 UK winner for Galaxy?! I asked for a few words from our inspirational new winner!

"The reason I wanted to do a pageant was because for the last 4 years I have watched my daughter compete and always thought , if I was younger I would of been brilliant at that. I watched the Mrs Galaxy and always thought how glamorous and slim the contestants are and if I was slimmer I would compete, so I entered with the thought of me losing half my body weight in 6 months. In the meantime I noticed my teenage daughter losing weight and commenting how "FAT" she was, she is a size 6 . I realised that me constantly going on about my weight and trying to diet wasn't giving my girls the right message .So I have tried to be happier with my own curvy body . I will be honest being a curvier contestant filled me with dread. I was very worried about what I would look like on stage , especially in the swimwear round ,Madly enough I found my swimwear round was probably the best round I did. I went into the competition never thinking I would win . I wanted just for my Husband whom I love incredibly to think wow that's my wife ,and my kids to be proud."

When they called my name , I honestly didn't believe it , I thought it was a Miss Universe moment and there had been a mistake ! I was that shocked I burst out my dress by taking the biggest gasp !!

 They day after I had a few negative comments, about how the fat girl had won the pageant which made me think am I really that different and unworthy of the crown? But that soon disappeared with all the messages off woman I didn't even know, telling me how happy they was that I had won ,that I was an inspiration and for what ever reason Galaxy Pageants had broken into the world of curvy which was fantastic! I must admit I am thinking internationals in Aug , should I lose weight? Should I grow my hair? Should I start bathing in milk every day? Then I look at my husband who returns my glance, I look at the way he looks at me, like I am the most sexiest, beautiful woman in the world and I think of all the other beautiful mummies I know that aren't size 8, that pop their Spanx on on a night out, and live life to full ... I think I am one of you. I will wear my crown with pride!"

Abi Hill- Plus Size model and past Miss England Grand Finalist

I first met Abi back in 2011 for our first time competing at the Miss Galaxy England finals, back when I had only been in pageantry a few months! Abi stood out a mile, not for her size, but for her amazing walk and model ability. You could see she was a natural, which led her winning the Simply be model search, and gracing magazine, editorial and catwalks around the UK. I asked Abi how she felt being a "curvy" pageant girl, and some of the struggles we face!

"I have been competing 6 years now and when I first started out, I was one of only a handful of 'plus' contestants. Now, there's so many more girls getting the confidence to enter and it makes me really proud to be part of that change! I don't feel like people see me any differently, as I try to make sure my actions - like charity work and appearances - speak for me, not my dress size. Sourcing dresses has got a lot easier in recent years, as more companies see the need for particular sizes and styles that flatter, but I am used to struggling because i'm also just shy of 6ft tall so everything is short! I tend to stick to known brands such as Jovani, but I am looking at getting a custom gown next year - it is my last eligible year in the Miss England system so I want to give 100%. I wouldn't swap my pageant experiences for the world - it truly has changed my life! I've seen places and done things I never could have imagined, as well as making friends for life"

Rebecca Argent- Miss British Beauty Curve 2015

Rebecca won Miss British Beauty Curve last year, a pageant which celebrates curves, embraces them and puts a whole show dedicated to them!

"It’s 100 per cent the best thing I’ve ever done, I’ve had loads of opportunities to do modelling work, done photo shoots and I’ve started a blog. It’s a great platform to get the word out that you don’t have to be a size six to love your body. There’s nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.There’s some stigma that plus-size modelling is all about obese people, fat girls, but it’s not, It’s about people’s body types, it’s the way they were born – with some women having bigger hips and so on. I've been competing for 3 years in "regular" pageants and went for curve last year! Best decision ever!"


Jade Dando- FOTG Regional finalist 2016 and multiple Publicity award winner!

(Photo by CMG Photography)

I've competed with and attended several appearances with this pint sized beauty queen, and she is just as sassy on stage as she is in real life. Jade is only 19 but has already competed in several UK finals, which can be daunting for her age and for her size in a age where body image is drilled into you from a young age more so now than before. I asked Jade about her experiences in the pageant world being that little bit curvier than her fellow contestants.

"Pageants have helped me improve my confidence and embrace my curves, they have taught me that I don't have to be a certain size to wear a tiara and a pretty dress. Society has become more accepting but then some people still have negative views, but it's so reassuring knowing that I've had so much success being curvy!"

Of course I can't finish this without a couple of other curvy girls making waves in the pageant industry, one lovely girl being Megan Goldberger who raises the bar when it comes to fundraising, winning the Miss Charity award at both Miss Teen Galaxy Wales and also Face of the Globe Wales, taking a Top Five place. She oozes confidence and is the most genuine pageant girl around, ask any girl on the pageant scene! As well as Megan, we also have Vanessa Morgan, who took the Miss Curves Inspiration title at the South West heats last year, as well as Rio Woolford, one of the first Miss British Curve winners who still continues to fundraise and inspire long after she hung up her crown.

(My Daily Mirror shot)

Last but not least I will include myself into the mix. Competing for 6 years, I've competed at a size 8 and now at a size 14. Being a personal trainer, I get alot of negative comments about my size, yet I know I have the VO2 Max of an athlete and can stack the leg press comfortably for 15 reps. The reason I became a personal trainer was to install confidence in my clients, that they were fit and health, comfortable in their own skin. We are not all built to be a size 6, some of us are naturally that way and there is nothing wrong with that, the same goes for a size 16 girl who may be a little curvy and store a little bit more than usual around the midriff area, but works out every day and wakes up with a smile! I have been lucky to represent England twice internationally for Face of the Globe, as well as be an ambassador for Style Xl, and most importantly be a rolemodel for younger generations.

So love the skin you are in girls, rock that runway regardless of what jiggles, if you want to eat that delicious cheesecake even though pageant season is round the corner, do it! Don't ever feel guilty for being who you are, remember a smile is the prettiest thing you can wear! 

Written by Hannah Golding
Ms Sparkling Beauty 2015

Facebook: Hannahgoldingbeautyqueen
Instagram: @hannahbarbieg
Twitter: @englandperfectm

Welcome to 2016!!

(Beni Bear Craft Stall)

 

We are 19 days into the new year, and I still haven't wrote a blog entry (of course January is the busiest time for personal trainers), in face I haven't wrote an entry since November!!! My new years resolution, one of them, is to be more interactive with my page and blog, so let's start by fulfilling you in!

 

It has been one jam packed 2015, so from winning Face of the Globe North England and holding my charity ball and pageant, I took a few steps back and took some time to rest. Jokes, this pageant girl never rests! First of all I helped my patron charity The Beni Bear Club with their crafty fayre! I was there with my handmade shoes and had fellow beauty queen Jade join me to help! I wasn't feeling the best but still talked to the public, all about the Rainbow Child Foundation and of course I had to buy a few bits and bobs!!

 

(The original Wiltshire Beauty Queens- missing Ela)

 

Then London was calling, even though I was travelling back from Skegness from a big weekend, I still made the effort to endure traffic jams from hell to see my bestie compete to join me and Ruth in Paris! It was the last FOTG heat as well, Georgia made Top 5!!! But sadly sponsorship is too much for her to come with us! It would of been amazing if all three would of been able to come, would of sealed our pageant journey together over the years but her wedding is just before (which I am Maid of Honour of course!!) so we can celebrate then!

 

 

(Daily Mirror!!)

 

If someone told me I would be in a national newspaper naked, I would of generally laughed my big but off! But it happened!! I travelled to London to talk about body confidence and stripped down to bare all for the piece!! I believe as a fuller figure woman that as long as you are happy with your shape that that's all the counts. As a personal trainer I help people lose weight, gain weight, train for different reasons but one thing I try to install in everyone is Body Confidence. It's my speciality and something that makes me slightly different.

 

(Homeless appeal)

 

December brought us bags and bags of sanitary needs for the homeless people of Swindon, with me and Georgia handing over 8 boxes worth! It makes me so happy that my work helped, I had lots of donations and was a struggle trying to bring them all in! We donated them to the Threshold Homeless Shelter, which is based in Swindon  Town. With the cold weather, we also had blankets and coats, and of course socks! The one thing that we all think about but never donate!!

 

(the top bears!)

 

January started with a bang into the charity world, I travelled to London with my Patron charity to be a princess for a special little girl's birthday! There was a bouncy castle!!! As well as the frozen princesses! Overall it was a great day, as well as cake!!

 

 

We also made it into the Swindon Advertiser for the Beni Bear Club!! It truly is a great charity which is local and needs your help! Whether it be buying one of the super cool bears that are made (I have three now and really want a pokemon one!) or attend one of our events! Every little counts!!!

 

So the Paris finals are drawing closer and closer, I still have no ballgown or evening gown, I need to fundraise more and try and keep fit (although there is a charity spinathon and I have been covering classes, I don't think my legs will ever feel the same!) for the fitness round! I just want to make top ten of it so I get a big medal which I will be hanging next to my PT profile!!! If anyone has any ideas of how to help me, through attending events, dresses or just want to chat, holla at a princess!!!

 

(My publicity folder is taking shape!!)

 

Lots of love

 

Hannah

 

X <3 X

 

Face of the Globe North England 2015/16

 

Find me on facebook: www.facebook.com/hannahgoldingbeautyqueen

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@hannahbarbieg

And the new Face of North England 2015 is....

(The handmade dress)

 

 

As you all know I won sponsorship to compete in the Face of the North England heats, a journey that took me with coach delays 13 hours there and 15 hours back and the worst stay in a hotel I could of ever had! But enough about that and onto the finals!!! After rehearsals, getting to know the contestants and dealing with the hotel drama, we finally had all our dance moves down and were full on excitement and KFC. First we showcased our amazing dance skills *cough* with our face of the globe t-shirts and black leggings, introductions and then run to the changing rooms to get ready for the next round.

 

If you have ever competed in a pageant, you know how hectic the changing rooms are during show time, if not let me enlighten you. You are stepping over random shoes, bras and random hair pieces, trying to get into your outfit whilst another girls half dressed is helping you with your zip. It is the funniest time you will have as everyone helps each other to get changed in super quick time! Second was the Rainbow Round, where I have spent the good part of my month hand sewing rose petals to create my rose petal dress! I loved wearing it on stage, and then the second round of Disney Wear I wore my hand sewn Disney creation, complete with matching Disney shoes of course!

 

 

Finally evening wear and I got to finally wear my beloved Sherri Hill which nearly didn't arrive back from Scotland in time!! The funniest part about the round was I fell off the stage at the bottom of the steps and rolled into backstage like I was competing in Tough Mudder! At least the judges couldn't see that!!

 

 

(Team North West!)

 

As all the contestants lined up for all the awards, I knew there were some stunning girls, I tried my best, had a laugh and wherever I came I had a good time! The first award I won was the Miss Publicity Award, which I was so happy about as I am always out and about with my sash (Instagram overload!!). The second award I won was the Best in Disney Wear, which once again I was delighted to win as I worked very hard on sewing all the characters together and getting glue all over me for the shoes!!! Then after all the awards it was time for the winners to be announced. They started with 5 down to first place. I kept waiting for my name to be called, and seeing all the girls I thought had won get their place. 2nd place was announced, the rest of us on stage held hands and I looked to the others and was thinking, could it be me? na don't be silly! When they announced my name as the winner I simply could not believe it! I was shaking, and crying and in shock, my photos must look awful!!! All I was thinking was, I've actually done it, I'm going to Disneyland for free! I've won my place, finally!!!!

 

(My beautiful winning flowers, certificate and new tiara!!!)

 

The rest was a blur, a happy blur! My crown kept falling off, I couldn't feel my feet (heels are not my friend). I had a celebration burger with my crown, and had to wake up in three hours time for my 15 hour coach. But it was all worth it as I arrived home, sat down and though to myself, "I'm actually the new Face of the Globe North England!"

 

 

Which means now I need to make sure I do my directors proud and raise as much as I can and show off my new tiara as much as I can! Which this weekend I did, by holding my very own charity pageant! It's so strange to be on the other side! But the contestants had fun, we went Disney overload on the theme with the music, prizes and so happy with my winners!!! Everyone did so well and fingers crossed that everyone enjoyed themselves.

 

(With one little winner: Scarlett won Best in Disney Wear)

 

Then it was straight onto the evening ball!! My wonderful sponsors Simply Beautiful and Little Gem's hosted a winter wonderland ball in aid of the Rainbow Child Foundation and it was stunning! Also my fab sister CMG Photography was on hand with the photos and photo booth (me and Georgia spent most of our time there!). There was food, wine, popping champagne bottles with a sword, cupcakes and of course sore feet with lots of high heels off!!

 

 

(Photobooth fun- I found Nemo!)

 

 

We raised with the pageant £665 for the Rainbow Child Foundation, with more being added from tickets! I am so happy and pleased we could raise this amount!! Thanks to my lovely friends, sponsors and family, we can raise even more!!! For now I have lots more up my sleeve with a charity raffle for a Disney Vans Little Mermaid backpack, as well as plan a fitness event in the new year!! And of course plan a hen party for my best friend and fellow beauty queen who we are all seeing at her Face of the Globe finals in 3 weeks!!!

 

 

Lots of love

 

Hannah

x <3 x

 

Face of the Globe North England 2015

 

 

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You can't slut drop on the catwalk hun.....

(My own little made pot!)

 

I have been a very busy bee lately! Organising events makes my head hurt!! First of all let me tell you what I've done over the past couple of weeks! First off I helped out at the Party in the Park event in Park South, by facepainting of course! I donated all my money to the rainbow child foundation, which for a couple of hours I raised £30 so not bad!! I also got to take my niece around to see the fireman truck and talk to others about my title!

 

(Spitfires!)

 

Also since it was the 70 year anniversary of the Battle of Britain, there were replicas

 

and real life planes dotted around the town centre! So of course we had to get a photo! Coming from a military background with my grandfather proudly serving the RAF, I love when Britain celebrates it's history!

 

(Wedding fayre!)

 

Then of course I got to dress up in wedding dresses and bridesmaid wear for the Annual Swindon Marriott Wedding Fayre! The dresses are by Fairytale occasions and I modelled with fellow Wiltshrie Beauty Queen Georgia. The wedding dress was stunning and of course was great to pratice that walk again!

 



 (with the bestie! never serious!)

 

Also it was good because now I have another FOTG sister to do appearances with!! Georgia is a finalist in the South England finals in November which of course me and Ruth will be going to. It would be the ultimate dream if we ALL went to Paris! Wiltshire would be taking over Disneyland! Pageants get a bad name but I don't know where I would be without them,  I wouldn't have many friends!! Also very exciting news, I'm competing in the North England heats! I won free sponsorship and will travel up north again to compete. Even though I already have a place, it would be nice to win my spot to one; cover my expenses and two; finally have that crowning moment! I am going all out! they have a Disney round!! I already have my Disney dress, I've made heels to match and making a massssive train full of petals for my rainbow round (it's lucky I don't have a partner or he would be sewing too!!). It's a TEN hour journey for me by coach, but if you don't work hard for anything, you won't achieve anything! Plus it will be a great Halloween weekend!! :)  

 

(Disney shoes!)

 

I have also put my crafty ways to use for charity! I've been making Disney shoes for the Rainbow Child Foundation! Its been hard work and covered myself mostly in glue, and for someone who isn't professional I think they look AMAZING!!! I am going to be very busy payday! If you would like a pair they are just £25 and the profit goes to charity! Well I am off to plan more charity events, sew my train, glue more shoes and get more entries for my charity pageant as well as organise the fashion show which is less than TWO weeks away! Everything is coming together!!!

 

Lots of love

 

Hannah

X <3 X

 

Face of the globe Team England 2016

 

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All you need is a little stardust...

(Swindon Advertiser)

I'm back from my many travels and thinking cap back on! First of all thanks to the Swindon Advertiser for the great piece, with the FAB photo by CMG Photography! I'm really nervous about planning so many events,so fingers crossed we can raise as much as possible!!! In other charity news, myself, Jade and Nicole modelled for The Open Door which was a evening gown fashion show which included the residents modelling. They were so excited to model and it was great to help out, and show them some catwalk moves ! 

(Myself and Jade Miss Rainbow Star contestant!) 

I got to wear a gorgeous vintage dress, which swished when walking, the dream dress! As well as a beautiful bridesmaid dress, and everything was so cheap! I got a lovely dress for 50p!! 50p!! That is amazing! They raised £408 for their charity which I am over the moon at!!

(The holy grail of pageant land)

Then it was off to leave the country!! Or just travel to Wales, to model for the Stardust Boutique Diversity shoot. This was the first time I had been to the shop, even though I have bought over 20 dresses from Kylie over the years! So it was really nice to see the shop and all the dresses!! I picked out this amazing Sherri Hill which was a dream to shoot in! Stacey Clarke, an amazing photographer who's headshots won best photogenic at the Miss Galaxy Internationals, was shooting and was very easy to work with!! 

(My fav image)

It was so good being back in front of the camera!! I need to do it more often! I actually bought the dress because I loved it that much!! Fingers crossed it still fits in April!! There is lots to plan before then, with September being a busy busy month! There is planning for my charity fashion event in October as well as getting pageant entries for the charity pageant. Also I am modelling at the Marriott hotel for the wedding fayre, as well as modelling with fellow beauty queen georgia for a wedding shop! Also my new sash is on it's way to me!!! One final big congrats to my queen Ruth for winning the London heats which means SHE IS COMING TO DISNEY WITH ME!!! Also Georgia has entered the South England heats, so if we could all go, Paris would not know what has hit them!! 

(Roll on 2016!)

If anyone would like to donate to my cause or attend my events or enter the pageant, check out my page below and get all the information you need! But now I am off to write more press releases, fashion show needs and pageant entries!! Laters!

Lots of love

Hannah

X <3 X

Face of the Globe Team England 2016

Like on facebook: www.facebook.com/hannahgoldingbeautyqueen
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Time flies when you're wearing a tiara

(Hooping at my local village fayre)

I've been a bit quiet on the blog front as i've been very poorly and doctors have ordered me rest, although that still didn't stop this pageant girl from keeping up her commitments! First I had a very busy day with 3 appearances! First to celebrate 125 years of the Railway Village, they held a local fayre complete with music and activities and of course I had to hoop didn't i! 

(In heaven!!)

Then I was invited as a guest of the Rugby 7s tournament, next door the charity SMASH held a charity day so we visited and had ice-cream then it was on to handing out the awards. Now i LOVE rugby, it was such a honour to hand out the trophies and to have pictures with the winners. I got hugs, kisses and that smile is the biggest it's been in a while!! ;)

(with Rey Mysterio!!!)

Not only did I get to meet rugby players from all over the country, but I also helped out the next day at the 4FW wrestling show which featured WWE legend Rey Mysterio! I actually got to meet one of my childhood heros, as a family we used to stay up late and watch WWE in awe!! 

(At the Core with my super smoothie!!)

Not only did I have an amazing weekend, the next weekend I attended a Book swap, my idea of a good time! I have over 200 books at home in my little flat so to bring books that ive read and loved, but don't need to keep, for new books which i haven't yet turned the pages?!! YES! and it was FREE!! Also we enjoyed amazing smoothies and free ginger shots which certainly gave some energy!! 

(Charity bargains!)

Next on the pageant agenda was a trip to The Open Door, a charity which helps all ages of disabilities have an area where they can socialise and make friends, as well as do activities! They are holding a charity fashion show on the 20th August, which I have been kindly asked to model for! It's an evening dress catwalk so it fit's perfect!!! I chose this dress which will be adjusted to me, and also found a new hat!!

(pageant besties!)

Then it was a pageant roadtrip to Dudley for the finals of Ms british beauty queen with fellow wiltshire beauty queens jade and Ruth!! I was still feeling very poorly but being back in pageant land made me feel alot better! There were four rounds, red, high street wear, british wear and evening round. I sold alot of my evening gowns so had a reserve and spent ages sewing up my british wear which i made from flags!! 

(work that flag girl!)

As you can see I found a use for the hat! This was my fav round as I really got to work the high low, as well as walking tall in my trusty pageant heels!! I came top 5 in the end, as well as Jade in her age group and Ruth took the title of Ms!!! So happy one of us came back with a crown!!

(Evening wear)

It was great to be back on stage but also makes me very excited for Paris next year! I've stepped up the game with my charity game and will be doing THREE events this year. First a fashion catwalk clothes swap shopping event which is at the Rugby Club on the 2nd October, then my very own charity pageant called Miss Rainbow Star on the 7th november with a charity ball straight after! Alll helped by my AMAZING sponsors Emma and Gemma! As well as my fab sister Cassie helping! Already got a few contestants and fingers crossed it will be a big event!! The adver have covered it which is amazing as it's so hard to get pieces in the adver these days!

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/13530503.Beauty_queen_sets_herself_a_charity_goal_of___10_000/?ref=fbpg

Well i am now off to see my former Rep friends in Kavos to have a nice earned break, and then it's straight back to pageant land making sure we raise as much for the Rainbow Child Foundation as possible! If you can help in any way by donating time or money, give us a shout!!

Lots of love

Hannah

X <3 X

Find me on facebook: www.facebook.com/hannahgoldingbeautyqueen

Tweet on twitter: @englandperfectm

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What's so wrong about beauty pageants? I'll tell you Rowan Pelling!!

 So I've been sitting my princess tower, cooking in fake bake, painting my nails and waiting for my prince charming to come rescue me and take me to the golf field, I came across an article about beauty pageants, written by Rowan Pelling (I actually used the internet to read instead of just update my profile picture!!) This article, written in a highly respectable newspaper that is the Telegraph, who actually print news worthy stories, tells the tale that Beauty pageants here in the UK are outdated, sexist, a “freak show” as she puts it in her own words, where there is hardly anyone competing. She goes on to suggest that the girls who do want to compete are only competing to find their future husband, they lack ambition, drive and common sense. Oh Honey, hold these pageant earrings whilst I tell you a little story about the true side of beauty pageants, the side you didn’t bother to research because you decided that you would go with the stereotype of a beauty queen

.

(Hand on hip even as a child)

I come from a big family, on the poverty line, we worked hard for what we had and asked for little. I was made fun of for my “poor” clothes, for not fitting in with the other children, for speaking differently to the county slang. I studied hard, got good grades, I wasn’t a bad looking teenager but I was overcome with shyness from those school days. I could of gone to Oxford, Cambridge, married a rich upper class man and settled down in the countryside with the perfect 2.5 children and dog. Instead, as soon as I was 16 I left school, fell in love, ditched the studies and did some real learning. Life is cruel, life is not a fairytale.I had my mid life crisis when I was 20, waking up and thinking life is so much better than this! I studied hard, got a degree as well as working full time with children, as well as doing my childcare qualifications (there is a brain in my airhead somewhere, it’s underneath all that hair), then changed all that to pursue a career in Personal Training, which I adore! The one thing I have to thank for all of this? Pageants.

“But why Hannah, if you were bullied about your looks, would you go into a contest which is solely based on how you look? Why would you want to be judged?”. Because in this society you are judged before you are even born, you will always be judged. You will be judged on how you speak, where  you come from, your education, experience, life choices, every single thing you do.  Why not take charge of the situation and stand proud that you are who you are? Rowan says that woman nowadays would, “rather eat their copy of Catlin Moran’s How to be a Woman than see their vital statics shown in public”. These are the days of face book, Instagram and Twitter where people put their whole lives on display, from the holiday snaps, selfie generation and daily status about  their lives? And woman are worried about those little numbers? If Rowan had researched pageants properly she would of found that the Miss England competition took out the bikini round of the finals way before Miss World removed the swimwear round out from it’s markings. That there are other pageants which don’t have this round at all, instead allowing the contestant to decide whether they want to show as much or as little flesh as possible. They certainly do no put your vital stats up for show, I don’t think in the 5 years of doing pageants, I’ve had to give my hip measurements and have them for the whole world wide internet to see.

Pageants have given me more experience in life than school and college could of ever given me, they have taught me the skills to be my own individual, to have the confidence to speak to hundreds of people, to follow my dreams and not let society change who I am as a person. We have the steryotype of pageant girls being stupid, of not having two brain cells to rub together, the “world peace” mentality. Well let me tell you a little something for free, there are girls who chose to do pageants and have degrees! Yes, a pageant girl can read!! We can even write and be allowed to socialise with others too! There are girls who are Doctors, Engineers, Footballers, Athletes, Teachers! We can provide for ourselves, do these look like the sort of girls who are entering beauty pageants to find their new husbands/wives?! No! We are SASSY, independent woman, who can confidently walk out on that catwalk in our bikini, evening gown, hell even our birthday suit if we chose because we call the shots!

“They would rather be Beyonce than be Miss UK”, well you better believe us beauty pageant girls are better than Beyonce!! It is true that pageants are not as televised  as much as they were in the 70s, but there is still a thriving pageant community in the UK. You just need to look. And with it, comes pageant idols, pageant friendships, the millions raised by pageant girls all across the UK. They are girls who aspire to become pageant queens when they are older, we are the positive role model for our community. We are one big pageant family, bound together by sequins and glitter. Like all families, there are fallouts, backstabbing and bitchiness but do you know what? We wipe that mascara off, adjust our crowns, pageant group hug and live our lives. I don’t want to be Beyonce, ok maybe just a little, but I am happy wearing my crown and sash with pride because I am Hannah Golding. I have represented my town, county and even country. I have travelled far, meeting friends for life and life experiences you can’t put a price tag on.

When I first put on that evening dress, a week before my 21st birthday, shaking, nervous, fixing my hair and trying not to rush to the toilet, I changed from a girl to a woman. I walked away not with the main crown, but instead of crying, I got back up and started again. This “freak show” seems so funny to me because I don’t see any freaks, just girls dressing up and making themselves feel good about themselves. You can say that we are setting ourselves up for failure, they are judging you on your looks! Wrong, pageants don’t just go by looks alone. You have to put in the work, community work, charity work, personality, poise, social skills, if you think the prettiest crown gets a crown then you are very wrong. I am not the best looking girl in the world (……. Oh I was waiting for a of course you comment, moving on…..) but I know I’ve been awarded my titles based more than just this face, I have a personality to match and a big smile (unless it’s in the morning sorry). I’m the pageant clown, the one who makes the girls laugh, and to me I would not change that in anyway as I come away with something better than the prize money, I come away with new friends.

I know it’s totally american, peace and love, but then that’s me stereotyping! Pageant girls are not the dumb bimmbos, they are not just searching for a man, it’s the same as saying white people can’t dance (I assure you my running man is top notch!), that blondes are dumb. All these sayings need to go back in the past from where they came on. Rowan, I really hope that you attend a pageant in the UK, and see for yourself all the hard work we do. I hope next time, instead of enraged a lot of us queens, you do your research! All it takes is a quick search on facebook (even I can do that!). But you know, us pageant girls don’t hate, we chuck on some heels and strut out of the place.

Now, where the pizza at?!!

Disclaimer: I do not have a princess tower sadly, however I do have a very colourful flat with Princess covers so you could say it’s a tower? Also I have never used fake bake, that was following what Rowan had wrote.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11735998/Whats-so-wrong-about-being-a-beauty-queen.html

Lots of pageant love

Hannah Golding

Face of the Globe Team England 2014-16

Like on facebook: facebook.com/hannahgoldingbeautyqueen

Tweet on twitter: @englandperfectm

Follow on Instagram: @hannahbarbieg

Official pictures by Paul Carroll and CMG Photography- Copyright