Meet forklift truck driver hoping to become first lesbian Ms Great Britain
A forklift truck driver hopes to become the first lesbian Ms Great Britain since the pageant began 77 years ago.
Emma-Jay Webber, 40, aims to make history by winning the popular beauty pageant in the UK.
She has been taking part in contests since 2016 as a way of boosting her self-esteem when her marriage broke down.
READ MORE: Miss England finalist swaps sash for HGV driver keys – and it’s her ‘proudest moment’
In 2019, she became the first openly lesbian queen in UK pageantry, but now she wants to be crowned the first gay Ms GB.
The mum-of-two said the glamour of pageantry is a huge contrast to her day job at a flooring company where she is a forklift driver.
(Image: Emma-Jay Webber / SWNS)
She is the only woman working in the warehouse and said she had to become “one of the boys” – but loves it.
Emma hopes to fend off competition from 50 other women over the two-day final and shine a light on the LGBTQ+ community.
A previous Miss Great Britain has come out as bisexual but Emma believes she will be the first openly gay finalist in October.
She said: “I got into pageantry back in 2016, my marriage had just ended and I wanted to try and improve my self-esteem.
“I had no clue what I was getting myself into but I loved everything it stood for and it was like a sisterhood.”
(Image: Emma-Jay Webber / SWNS)
Emma, from South Gloucestershire, added: “I fell in love with it and all the behind-the-scenes charity work you could do.
“Ever since then I have just had the bug for it. My day job is a forklift driver – it pays the bills.
“It’s a huge contrast to the glamour of pageantry but I love it. I am the only girl in the warehouse so I am definitely one of the boys.”
She’s having a custom-made evening gown for the final in Leicester on October 20 and 21.
In the lead-up to the competition, she is raising money for Cancer Research UK and Alex’s Wish.
(Image: Emma-Jay Webber / SWNS)
Emma said: “There will be 50 girls in the final which is held over two days.
“On the first you have your power interview, which is like a job interview, and you have the chance to showcase your charity work.
“There is also a fashion round that day where you show your outfits. On the second day you have evening and swimwear showing.
“I am not doing Ms GB for myself I am doing it for the entire LGBTQ+ community.
“Now is the time to bring a light to those people.”
Want all the biggest Lifestyle news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Hot Topics newsletter
READ NEXT:
