What I Learned From Pageantry
My outfit for lingerie round for Miss Vietnam World Australia 2015.
In my lifetime, I have entered three pageants. And all very different. The first pageant I entered was called, “Miss Ao Dai 2012” in Brisbane and I was in the top 30 (yes, 30 contestants! No kidding). I didn’t plan much at all for this pageant, and it was overall a good way to start my pageantry journey. My second pageant was for “Miss Vietnam World Australia” in 2015 and I was the ‘biggest’ girl in this pageant. There was a swimwear round, evening gown, Ao Dai; as well as a lingerie round and I competed in Sydney for this particular pageant. The most recent pageant I entered was this year (2022) - Miss Royalty International Australia and it has, by far, the best pageant experience I ever had in my pageantry journey. It was so well organised and everyone (my sash sisters!) were all so encouraging and supportive. I took home a “Special Award” called “Heart of Service” 2022 as well as Miss Congeniality.
So from all these three pageants, what did I learned from it?
1. I learned how to fail gracefully
In the first two pageants I competed in, I felt like a loser. But a good loser! I didn’t place and didn’t win any main titles. I had people commenting on my lingerie/swimwear photos from the pageant in 2015 saying, I look ‘fat’ and another comment saying, “Sumo”. Being the largest girl in the 2015 pageant, I thought I was confident and I had confidence in my own body, even though I was the ‘largest’ girl and I learned to fail gracefully. Pageantry taught me to fail gracefully and accept it as it is. At the end of the day, I am a winner in my own right and so is everyone else too. I may have been judged and took the troll comments personally at that time, but to be honest, it has made me stronger and shaped who I am now and I don’t give up on pageantry because pageants are an amazing experience for me.
2. It’s the people that makes pageants a great experience
From the three pageants I competed in, it all taught me different things but ONE thing in common is that it’s the people that I meet that makes it a truly amazing experience. Not just my sash sisters, but the directors and organisers from the pageants have been lovely and so kind to me. Miss Royalty International Australia was such an amazing experience, meeting like minded women and get to know them over the three days (including rehearsals) that we did together.
3.When competing, my story and my platform is powerful
I’m not your basic girl. I don’t just say, “I want world peace”. My platform is Bipolar Awareness, and not everyone can say or share that. My story of hope and survival is truly a unique story and I believe I can touch (and even save) lives in different ways. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 1 and I have reached a point where I want to give back to the community and world in this way.
Me in the middle for Miss Ao Dai Brisbane in 2012.
I won Heart of Service award in 2022 Miss Royalty International Australia. Photo by Jason Keightley
Another photo of my outfit for the lingerie round for Miss Vietnam World Australia 2015. I was the ‘largest’ girl.