Beautiful, bold and graceful are a few words that could be used to describe Antonette Leon. She is the 6-year-old Accounting Specialist who has been crowned Miss Curvy Jamaica 2018, Jamaica’s FIRST ever full-figure beauty pageant, held during the second staging of the Curvy Caribbean Conference (CCC). A crowd favourite from the get-go, Leon received loud cheers of approval from the audience as she went through the rounds. It was, therefore, no surprise that she beat out 15 other finalists to take the crown at the pageants grand coronation at Campion College Auditorium, Kingston, Jamaica.
The other curvaceous queens that rounded out the top three were Khadine Blake,26, second runner-up and first runner-up, 28-year-old Jenee Cooke.
In a ‘one on one’ interview with Shannon-Dale Reid, Antonette Leon told us how she felt being named Jamaica’s first ever Curvy Queen. She said,“It was a shock, unbelievable but a proud moment.” When asked her reason for entering, she smiled reflectively then responded, “I entered the pageant as I’ve always looked up to pageant queens for their grace, beauty, intelligence, bravery, and confidence. However, prior to Miss Curvy Jamaica, there were no pageants that catered to persons with my body type, so when I saw this initiative I was not about to let the opportunity pass me by.”
Leon also talked a little about body shaming. “I was never really shamed for being fat. I was shamed for being big growing up. Being 12 yrs old, 5’9 and 214lbs, my ‘bigness’ was very noticeable.”She added that she was faced with many challenges because of this.
The curvy beauty got a little emotional remembering a particular shopping experience.“I can recally shopping with my father while visiting him abroad and walking through the childrens aisles looking for clothes and not being able to find anything. Having the attendants looking at me like, ‘Why is she even in this aisle?’At the end of this shopping nightmare, my father said how tough it was because he could usually just come in and it was a simple‘1-2’ getting things for my older twin sisters. Tough! As big as I was, that really made me feel small.”It was an experience that stayed with her and so this curvy pageant has boosted her confidence tremendously.
Being Miss Curvy Jamaica, Antonette Leon will be seen as an Ambassador to help in ending body shaming and bullying. The goal is to empower young people as well as body acceptance. Her reign will also see her embarking on a school our this September, starting with prep, primary and a few secondary institutions.“As queen, I hope to serve as a positive role model, who will encourage not only children but women who face issues of insecurities due to their bodies. To reinforce the truth that beauty is NOT confined to a particular dress size, shape or complexion, and the first step to society acceptance is to accept yourself, to love and respect who you are and the body you’re in.”
To Read More: Purchase your copy of Volume 9 #8 May-June 2018
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Beautiful, bold and graceful are a few words that could be used to describe Antonette Leon. She is the 6-year-old Accounting Specialist who has been crowned Miss Curvy Jamaica 2018, Jamaica’s FIRST ever full-figure beauty pageant, held during the second staging of the Curvy Caribbean Conference (CCC). A crowd favourite from the get-go, Leon received loud cheers of approval from the audience as she went through the rounds. It was, therefore, no surprise that she beat out 15 other finalists to take the crown at the pageants grand coronation at Campion College Auditorium, Kingston, Jamaica.
The other curvaceous queens that rounded out the top three were Khadine Blake,26, second runner-up and first runner-up, 28-year-old Jenee Cooke.
In a ‘one on one’ interview with Shannon-Dale Reid, Antonette Leon told us how she felt being named Jamaica’s first ever Curvy Queen. She said,“It was a shock, unbelievable but a proud moment.” When asked her reason for entering, she smiled reflectively then responded, “I entered the pageant as I’ve always looked up to pageant queens for their grace, beauty, intelligence, bravery, and confidence. However, prior to Miss Curvy Jamaica, there were no pageants that catered to persons with my body type, so when I saw this initiative I was not about to let the opportunity pass me by.”
Leon also talked a little about body shaming. “I was never really shamed for being fat. I was shamed for being big growing up. Being 12 yrs old, 5’9 and 214lbs, my ‘bigness’ was very noticeable.”She added that she was faced with many challenges because of this.
The curvy beauty got a little emotional remembering a particular shopping experience.“I can recally shopping with my father while visiting him abroad and walking through the childrens aisles looking for clothes and not being able to find anything. Having the attendants looking at me like, ‘Why is she even in this aisle?’At the end of this shopping nightmare, my father said how tough it was because he could usually just come in and it was a simple‘1-2’ getting things for my older twin sisters. Tough! As big as I was, that really made me feel small.”It was an experience that stayed with her and so this curvy pageant has boosted her confidence tremendously.
Being Miss Curvy Jamaica, Antonette Leon will be seen as an Ambassador to help in ending body shaming and bullying. The goal is to empower young people as well as body acceptance. Her reign will also see her embarking on a school our this September, starting with prep, primary and a few secondary institutions.“As queen, I hope to serve as a positive role model, who will encourage not only children but women who face issues of insecurities due to their bodies. To reinforce the truth that beauty is NOT confined to a particular dress size, shape or complexion, and the first step to society acceptance is to accept yourself, to love and respect who you are and the body you’re in.”
To Read More: Purchase your copy of Volume 9 #8 May-June 2018
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