At just 26 years of age, Jessica Gagen became the first-ever redhead Miss England, surpassing 30 other challenging contestants to claim the crown. However, her win means much more than that, as she has undergone a journey of resilience and courage to stand at the top.
She defied prejudice due to her natural red hair
Jessica, renowned for her distinctive natural bright red hair, navigated through adversities from her childhood. Despite encountering bullies and other challenges, she wholeheartedly embraced her own differences, believing that “everything is good when it ends well.”
Studying aerospace engineering and pursuing a modeling career, Jessica reflected on her challenging teenage years in secondary school, aiming to rebuild her self-confidence.
Jessica studies aerospace engineering in her college years, and later became a model. However, she always remembers the hardship she faced during secondary school, which affected her self-esteem a lot.
While the matter wasn’t publicly discussed, Jessica realized that there hadn’t been any red-haired Miss England winners before in history. Therefore, she felt a compelling urge to shed light on the daily challenges the redheads had to face at school and work.
She soon turned the table
Jessica revisited challenging moments during her 7th grade, when she was bullied to the point that she had to eat lunch in the school restroom. Taking her traumatic experience to heart, Jessica wants to inspire others. “I’m determined to show kids who are facing the same thing that it won’t happen forever,” declared a confident Jessica. Her modeling journey soared to new heights after securing a contract at 18, boosting her confidence greatly.
Becoming Miss England
Despite finishing second the year before, Jessica simply didn’t give up. And finally, in 2022, the young woman has made history as the first red-haired Miss England ever in its 94-year expansive history.
First redhead winner in history
Jessica’s involvement in the Miss England competition held a broader mission—to inspire girls to pursue careers in different fields such as science, technology, and math (STEM). However, when she realized that a redhead had never claimed the crown before, she looked back and acknowledged the limited presence of redheads on television. Therefore, the need for increased representation of redheads in the TV realm is necessary.
Post-victory, Jessica expressed the significance of representing younger kids, encouraging them to turn challenges into strengths. “I have been through it, and you can use that pain to raise your game,” she shared, advocating for resilience as a superpower.
Following her victory, Jessica emphasized the importance of representing minority kids, urging them to transform challenges into strengths. Sharing her personal journey, she conveyed, “I have been through it, and you can use that pain to raise your game.”
Many individuals, like the inspiring woman in this story, have faced challenging times. She once grappled with embarrassment over her appearance but ultimately captured the hearts of many through her remarkable strength and resilience.
Just like the remarkable Jessica, countless individuals have confronted hard times like this when they were young. Jessica was once embarrassed over her appearance, yet thanks to her extraordinary strength and resilience, she is now on top of the world, capturing the audience’s hearts.