Sian Guthrie had just started regaining her body confidence after giving birth to 14-month-old son Dexter, when she was approached by a scout in her local shopping centre and asked to take part in the regional Miss Derby heats.
The 21-year-old decided to take part, mentioning her toddler son in her application form, and was delighted to make it through to the finals.
However the events planner was horrified when she was barred from the competition after organisers discovered she had a son.
“This competition is supposed to be about real women and the contestants are supposed to be role models. They are supposed to have life experience,” Sian told The Sun.
“It’s sending out the wrong message in not accepting mothers or women who are married.
“Being a mum is something to be proud of, not something that should hold you back in life.
“I explained I wanted to have something to show him when he was older that would make him proud. It was never about winning for me.”
The Derby based mum explains:
“The no child rule feels like a slap to the face.”
“I never hid the fact I was a mum but it took me to question the rule before anything was said.
“I spoke to the representative at Miss Derby and she told me I could still compete but I could only come second or third.
“If I was voted the best I would have to forfeit the win. I couldn’t go through to the next round and represent my country or get any further in the competition.”
However, even this did not happen.
“I got a phone call about an hour later and the organiser said she was fine with me competing but the main organisers at Miss World had said I wasn’t allowed. I had to be wiped from the whole thing and my picture removed off the semi-finalists’ list on the website.
“It’s such a knock to my confidence. I am still trying to get over the whole pregnancy thing.”
“I was struggling to eat most days so it was quite tough for me. My stomach shrunk so much I got quite ill.”
Petite size 12 Sian adds:
“Even after having Dexter it was hard to eat again and it’s knocked my confidence quite a bit. I don’t even look in the mirror these days and won’t strip off in front of my boyfriend.
“Being a mum is something to be proud of.. this competition is supposed to be about real women"
“It would be nice to see a mother win for once and not a stick insect, who’s a size eight. This competition should be promoting role models and being a mother is a great role model.
“If you go through it would be a lot of travelling but it should be my choice if I want to continue, not theirs. I travel all the time with my job and my son never loses out. I put him to bed, I feed him and bath him — I am always there for him. I felt like I was being treated like a child."
Rhona Shafik, Miss England Heats Organiser, says:
“It’s terrible that Sian can’t take part. Unfortunately, it is a Miss World rule and Miss Derby is a heat for Miss England which is a direct entry to Miss World so those rules filter down.
“The chances of someone making Miss Derby and Miss World are slight but the chances are there so it does exclude mums. Miss World travels all over the world and hardly spends any time in her home country. So if she had a child, she wouldn’t see her family at all, because they don’t.
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