"I Was 3rd Runner-up In A Size 14 Plus Beauty Pageant"

This is how I became a contestant in the 14 plus beauty pageant. I think it was totally by accident . However, at that particular time I was attending Jane Adams adult Education Center in Cerritos, California, when I bumped into Margie Joseph. we started talking about things in general and I told her that was I was brushing up on my math, which she thought was a great idea. I noticed Ms. Joseph seem to be sizing me up, and then she asked me what size clothes did I wear.

I told her That I was a size 14 , and she said, Great you can be in my beauty pageant." I laughed and said, "I'm to big to be in any one's pageant.'' Margie assured me me that the pageant she was producing was for bigger women. he said everyone gives beauty pageants for the tall, slim and beautiful women. Margie told me her pageant was for women 14 and over. I was shocked, but I agree to participate. Margie also asked me to get other women of size to participate in the pageant, which I did. I became the spokeswomen for the pageant, and that was alright with me.

Getting women participate was work, but since I'm a "people person", it was a challenge for me that paid off. I got twenty women to sign up for the pageant ... being involved with the beauty pageant was a natural high for me and also for the other women. This is exactly what we needed to build up self esteem and give us bold confidence. It glorified and acknowledged the beauty in women of all sizes. The pageant taught us about beautifying our bodies as well as our minds, and two weeks to become the most beautiful and most glamorous women in our beauty pageant. We learned that big could be beautiful just as well as some one of small character, so "Big is Beautiful: became the motto for the 14 plus beauty pageant.

Some of us were taught pose and how to walk like a lady, but fortunately for me, I knew exactly how to walk like a lady. I've always had little sexy, kicky walk that always turned heads even when I wasn't trying to get attention. That wasn't a big deal because I had the strutting walk down To be honest, once I became a full pledged participant, I didn't have a problem being a contestant or performing my talent, through many experiences;but this is one that I can thank God for, because it was a very rewarding and endearing experience. I was proud to be a participant and I got a chance to meet so many people, with different backgrounds and cultures, but we all had one thing in common, our size. We had more meat on our person than our regular beauty pageant queens, but guess what, we didn't really care. We were accepted for the person that we were,and that means we were big but absolutely beautiful women.

The beauty pageant was held at a Bar and Lounge. As time grew closer to the pageant date, the contestants were busy getting their talent acts together and brushing up on the beauty tips. Our producer,Margie, had gotten most of her garments foe the contestants done, but there were a few contestants that brought their own wardrobe which was a good thing. I didn't have anything that I thought was fancy enough to wear for the pageant. Margie made two of my outfits, and she told me that she had a pant set that she wanted me to try on;I tried it and it was a metallic silver and black fringed knock out. Every contestant had picked 3 outfits for the pageant. We all knew that regardless of our size, each contestant had to choose a particular talent that she would be comfortable doing. Each of us had to choose three pieces of music for each of our showings.

My personal experience as a contestant was like having my ten minutes of fame;it was exciting electrifying, exhilarating and completely awesome. I loved every minute of being in the lime light, and I felt very important and famous while, reciting my original poem title: Race and Color. My outfit was a beautiful black and white ruffle dress that was made at an angle that exposed the length of my legs. I also wore a Canary yellow and black asymmetrical one shoulder dress, But I think my famous debut outfit was the black and metallic sliver pant set, with a fringe empire waistline and black fringe up and down the sides of the pants, like a cow girl. This pant set, was my baby because we did great things on the stage with the song Bad Mama Jama". Me and my fringes made the audience holler and scream for more as I strutted off the stage with the greatest of applauds.

Now, I feel I know exactly how the actors and actresses feel when performing on stage. I thought I would be scared to death, when I was on stage, but I wasn't. I was so engrossed into the music and the au,dience wooing me for more of my antics that I completely forgot about the fear; that I had in the first place. I turned out that performing in front of the audience was a natural high for me. I don't think anyone can explain how it feels to be in the lime light. I think one would have to be there and witness it for themselves, in order to know what it's like.The audience's cheers and applauds are great ego boosters for even the faint of heart.. There was a women competing that wore at least a dress size 22, but by being part of the pageant , she told me ,it made her feel pretty and very proud., No one could have had told her she wasn't a size 16 and she carried herself as if she was light on her feet. You would have had to be there to witness the talents and the gracious beauty of the pageant contestants. Everyone of us had our own particular talent and everyone performed with their hearts in it 100%. There were no slackers, when it came down to the talents performed that night.

his was a night to remember,after 26 performances and modeling our attire, it was getting time for the announcement of the beauty pageant winners. The drum rolled, and they announced the first runner-up, the audience wen t mad; then they announced the second runner-up, the crowd roared, it was so loud I could barely hear. The announcer said , now last but not least, my heart was pounding so hard ....it was Like I knew it was going to be me, and it was! wow!  I almost passed out! however ,I didn't. I didn't win first place or even second---but it was the fact that they chose me for 3rd runner-up. Being third runner-up made me feel like the most beautiful and talented woman in the world,even though I was considered a big women. Here are a few words of encouragement for women of size.

If you're a big women and you're interested in doing something off the wall, like getting into a plus size beauty pageant or modeling plus size clothes; please don't let your size hinder you. You won't ever, know you can do it, if you don't try. Being in a 14 plus Beauty pageant happened to me and it can surely happen to you. You have to have enough faith in your self to step out from among the ordinary big women of today and claim your ten minutes of fame. I promise you won't ever regret it, because you will reap all the benefits of hidden talents that will last you a life time.

Benny Faye Douglass