Nothing better than a comeback story like Emma Winslade. In an interview with Mirror UK, Winslade shared her story of triumph despite body issues and shaming over the years. The 26-year-old model’s story is not for the lighthearted: she was constantly put down as a child, endured degrading comments about her weight, and was even called Godzilla. The kids even went as far to make her a fake coupon for free liposuction in high school. Teens are cruel!
Because of the shaming, by the time she reached college she stopped eating and starved herself to drop 5 dress sizes in nine months. It took years of repair, and the encouragement of her now-husband Chris Winslade that gave her confidence to feel good about being a size 16. She recently won the Miss British Beauty Curve pageant, and she’s constantly getting booked for gigs overseas, proving that you can turn your haters comments into a full-fledged career.
Emma said, “If you’d asked me a few years ago I would have told you I could never compete in a beauty pageant because I was too big – and now here I am. I wish I could go back to people at school and be like, ‘Look at what I’ve achieved.’ Even though I didn’t do it for them it does feel good to kid of stick my middle finger up at the bullies. I bet they wouldn’t even remember the things they said to me but these things do stick with you. I really try to promote body confidence now and show other people that they shouldn’t let anyone make them feel unhappy in their own bodies.”
