The first lesbian Miss Great Britain finalist to enter the Miss World contest says she hopes to use the stage to campaign against homophobia and empower plus-size women.
Emma Jay-Webb, 41, began competing in pageants after her marriage broke down in 2016 and she reached an all time low with her self-esteem.
After Googling 'how to improve self-confidence', she stumbled upon beauty pageants and entered Miss British Beauty Curve in 2018 – despite never having worn a pair of heels.
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When she's not amongst glamorous beauty queens, the mum-of-two drives a forklift truck and is proud to represent women in the male-dominated construction sector.
Plus-sized Emma won the Miss United Kingdom World International 2023 crown and reached the final 10 for Miss GB in 2022 in the 31-44 category.
Now she is headed for the Ms World competition this August taking place in Florida, where the 'don't say gay' law has just been passed – prohibiting any LGBTQ+ conversation in schools.
Emma Jay-Webb from Cribbs Causeway, South Gloucestershire said: "It still doesn't quite feel like it's happening. I'm still very much buzzing but nervous.
"Last year I did Miss GB and I finished in the top 10. With everything happening in the world and the massive increase in hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people, I thought this has to be the next step.
"I need to take this platform to the world stage and use it as a huge megaphone."
Emma drives a forklift truck by day, which is worlds away from the glitz and glamour of the beauty pageantry world.
She said: "I'm still driving my forklift truck and I love it. Women can work in construction, a male-dominated industry, and still be beautiful and feminine."
According to Emma, the host city, Florida, have just passed the 'don't say gay bill' which bans discussion of gender identity and sexuality in schools.
She also hopes to shine a light on body positivity too. Emma gained weight after having her son Zack, eight, in 2014 and daughter Maggie, six, in 2016.
She added: "I was slim until I had my children and now I am a size 18-20. Which is actually the average size for a woman in the UK.
"The fact I've been able to have children is a miracle in itself and I'm proud of my stretch marks and mummy tummy.
"The 90s heroine chic has come back, fashion week was full of it.
"It's scary, I remember the 90s and what that was like- everyone thought they had to be super skinny.
"Businesses out there earn billions of pounds because of their insecurities and people are putting poisons [diet drugs] into their bodies because they think it will make them skinny.
"We are all beautiful and different shapes and sizes."
Emma fell into beauty queendom when she hit rock bottom after her divorce in 2016. She had no self-confidence and even removed all the mirrors from her house because she couldn't stand her reflection.
She added: "I sat on the sofa at that point with no self-confidence or self-esteem.
"I lived in big black hoodies and jogging bottoms, one day I just thought I've had enough of this.
"I Googled how to improve your self-esteem and ended up on Instagram, I saw an ad for Miss British Beauty Curve and fell in love with the women on stage who looked like me."
Emma entered Miss British Beauty Curve in 2018 and was a runner up. She had never worn heels before and had to practice around the house before the big competition.
Since she has entered six major contests – the rounds are usually evening wear, swim wear, fashion, and in international competitions, national wear.
She said: "The swimwear rounds are quite controversial but I love it as a plus size woman, it makes you feel fantastic about yourself.
"What people see is the end product but what they don't realise all year round every single pageant girl will be working so hard to raise thousands for charity.
"People need to be open-minded to pageantry it's not what is used to be, feminism has taken over, it's all about sisterhood and being in an army of positive women."
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