A model was told she couldn’t compete in a beauty pageant because she is a mother.
Danielle Tyler, 23, from Belper, Derbyshire, claims she was kicked out of the Miss England competition, despite getting through the initial application, because it is against the competition’s policy for entrants to have children.
‘I am a proud young mum and I even said in my application that my biggest achievement was having my daughter,’ says Danielle, who has a three-year-old daughter, Annelise.
Danielle, who has she has taken part in some small modelling projects added: ‘I was really upset when I found out and very annoyed about it.
‘It was only when a friend mentioned their ‘no children’ policy I decided to question it, and that is when I was notified by email that I could no longer take part- despite having been accepted two weeks before.
‘I was furious to be honest. It is an outdated rule.’
Danielle’s initial application had been accepted for the beauty competition and she had spent two weeks rallying around her family and friends for support to help her qualify for the next stage.
Proud: ‘I even said in my application that my biggest achievement was having my daughter,’ says Danielle
Disappointed: Danielle, left and right with daughter Annelise, had her initial application for Miss England accepted and spent two weeks rallying support from friends and family to qualify for the next stage [Photo credit: Cater News Agency]
But after sending an email to double check, Danielle claims she was told that despite being accepted she could no longer continue in the competition, due to Miss England’s policy of entrants not being allowed to be mothers.
Furious Danielle said: ‘I want to put across the message that mums, no matter how old or young, can still have the same hopes, dreams and achievements as women without children.
‘I had started to get really excited about the competition.
‘There is a round where contestants have to make a recycled outfit and had spent two weeks making a dress. I was three quarters of the way through when I was told I couldn’t be part of the competition any more.
‘It’s a disgrace and I am very angry about it to be honest. All I received was an email- which I thought was very cold.’
Sweet: Danielle, mother to Annelise, pictured here, claims she was told that despite being accepted she could no longer continue in the competition, due to Miss England’s policy of entrants not being allowed to be mothers [Photo Credit: cater news agency]
Determined: Danielle hasn’t let her experience discourage her ambition and she has now qualified for the Miss Midlands final of Miss Great Britain, which does allow mothers to enter [Photo Credit: Cater News Agency]
Angie Beasley, director of Miss England defended the rule and said it is in place to ensure that the winner can carry out her role to the full, without neglecting any children she may have.
Angie, a former beauty queen herself, has been running the Miss England competitions for more than ten years.
She said: ‘Miss World and Miss England are both run by mothers who value highly normal family values.
‘It is both unfair on the child and her family to take the mother away from home for the year whilst she travels the globe.
Stunning: Modelling shots of Danielle, who has qualified for Miss Great Britain after being shunned from Miss England on account of being a mother [Photo Credit: Steve Davies]
‘It raises issues about who would take care of the child or children whose mother was fortunate to win. Surely it seems obvious to anyone that for a mother to devote herself fully to a role such as Miss England or Miss World that it would be unfair on any child.
‘There are other competitions who have much less demanding roles for their winners, even as much to say that the winner doesn’t actually do anything throughout her year.
‘There are titles which are name only with no formal duties to be done. I feel these type of competitions would be much better suited for women with children.’
Danielle hasn’t let her experience discourage her ambition and she has now qualified for the Miss Midlands final of Miss Great Britain, which does allow mothers to enter.
Danielle said: ‘I am delighted that Miss Great Britain has a positive attitude towards mothers. I was apprehensive about applying due to my bad experience but I scoured their website and double checked, and Miss Great Britain happily accepts mothers which I am overjoyed about.’
