It's not just parading around in swimwear: Miss England 2012 Charlotte Holmes defends the beauty pageant
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Miss England 2012, Charlotte Holmes, has defended her vocation saying being a beauty queen 'is not just about parading around in swimwear or a glamorous gown'.
The professional model said she has had to face people who believe beauty pageants are sexist and demeaning to women since she beat thousands of girls to the crown last summer.
But the 23 year old believes they are anything but degrading as the contestants have to prove they have brains and physical fitness as well as beauty.
Challenging: Miss England 2012 Charlotte Holmes said you need brains as well as fitness and beauty to take the crown
She said: 'The Miss England competition is not just about parading around in swimwear or a glamorous gown. The contestants, who range in both height and dress size, are required to take part in a series of enduring challenges during the four day final, aimed at testing and developing their physical fitness, mental creativity, styling, interview skills, individual talents, model potential and social skills.'
Thanks to her role as Miss England, Charlotte has travelled the world helping to raise awareness of fundraising projects for disadvantaged communities.
She will run this year's London Marathon for charity and said raising money for worthwhile causes is a key aspect of the Miss England competition. Over the last three years, the pageant has raised more than £100,000 for global charities.
She said: 'Over the years, pageants have moved on, but a lot of people still have the perception that they are sexist and degrading to women.
'More to it than wearing a glamorous gown': Charlotte, representing England at Miss World, right, said beauty pageants are not demeaning
'In fact the strapline for pageants like Miss England is ‘Beauty with a Purpose', because the women taking part in the competition are required to organise and hold fundraising events in order to raise money for worthwhile causes and projects across the country.'
Charlotte believes beauty queens make good role models because they are 'real women, with real curves, real personality and real ambition'.
The negative perceptions Charlotte has encountered do not seem to have had any effect on the many young women who want to follow in her footsteps.
Popular: Thousands of girls vie for the Miss England crown each year including these finalists from 2012
'Beauty with purpose': Charlotte said you need to prove fitness and intelligence to win the Miss England crown and raise money for charity
More than 10,000 girls from across the UK have already applied for their chance to become Miss England 2013.
They will be whittled down to 60 contestants who must endure a 'military style boot camp' with former soldiers to prove they are physically fit and perform an individual talent such as singing, dancing or playing a musical instrument.
They will be interviewed by a panel of judges and must design and create their own eco-dress made from recycled materials for the ethical fashion round. This year former Dragon's Den star, Richard Farleigh, will be hand to judge their efforts to see if any would make an eco-business project.
The final will be held in Torquay in June and the winner will go on to represent England at Miss World.
Miss England director Angie Beasley agreed with Charlotte's comments on the diversity and empowerment of the competition.
She said: 'The Miss England competition represents a melting pot for real young women of all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life, backgrounds and experiences.
'In recent years we have had contestants who have beaten cancer, live with OCD on a daily basis, have overcome a life threatening illness, suffered from selective mutism as a child, taken up fire eating, play professional rugby, work in the army and are training to be a mechanic, as well as girls who are studying to become doctors, lawyers and accountants.'
She added that the challenges they make the contestants face are designed to 'test them both mentally and physically'.
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