Bald beauty queen competes for Miss America, while Miss England will deploy for Afghanistan
We used to think beauty pageant contestants were all slight variations of the same woman-pretty, thin, great hair, brilliant smile, funny talent, and a desire for world peace. OK, that's generalizing a bit, but most of these ladies have been trained from an early age to conform to the standards of the pageant arena, and thus hiding many of the unique and awesome things about themselves. We're happy to report that perhaps the standards of pageant girls are changing.
Miss Delaware Kayla Martell will be competing in this week's Miss America competition wearing wigs. The 22-year-old suffers from alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes sufferers to lose their hair and can leave them completely bald. Martell has had no hair since she was a child, and competed in the Miss Delaware pageant twice without a wig. The third time she wore a wig and won the state title. "I decided to use my crown to show that it is time we redefine what it really means to be beautiful," Martell told ABC News. "To me, beauty is a part of your soul...You can be 'beautiful' on the outside and 'ugly' on the inside...But confidence and compassion are the real makeup of a beautiful person." Though the pageant organization says she does not need a wig to compete in the Miss America competition she is opting to wear one.
Martell told ABC News: "When I go grocery shopping, when I'm out with my friends, when I'm at home, I'm without the wig. That's me. That's the real me." She decided to wear wigs for this week's event because, "people are so surprised to see a bald woman, let alone a bald beauty pageant contestant." We wish Martell would go bald and proud for Miss America, but we're still so psyched to see a woman who looks different win a title and go on to compete on such a big platform.
But Miss Delaware isn't the only lady with a crown making waves. A former Miss England has traded in her ballgowns for military fatigues and may be deployed in Afghanistan in 2012. Corporal Katrina Hodge, who has already served in Iraq, won the pageant title last January, but is now back on duty. The British media has dubbed the 24-year-old "Combat Barbie." "At the end of the day, it's my job. If that's what I've got to do, then that's what I've got to do," Hodge told the AFP. "It's hard to be excited about going to Afghanistan but it's the reality of our job. Our job is be out there, protecting our country."
Hodge is a former lingerie model. She joined the forces at 17 and served with the 1st Battalion in Iraq for seven months before dolling up for pageant season. She married a fellow soldier named Neil last June, and is currently in training for deployment, calling re-enlisting a "culture shock." "I'm not going to lie, it was hard to come back." Hodge told the AFP. "It's definitely a change of lifestyle from having your hair and make-up done every day to being in your combats and having your hair scraped back." A soldier who kicks butt but can still rock a formal gown? We love it! She even has a book coming out in April called "Combat to Catwalk" about her experiences. When it comes time for the talent portion of the competition women would be hard pressed to beat Hodge's impressive background.
Thanks, ladies, for proving there's more to pageant girls than just glitz and glam.
Related links:
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Does "Toddlers and Tiaras" Beauty Pageant Hurt Kids?
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