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.
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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.”
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