Jessica Gagen was a bright student who had loved attending school until she was promoted to secondary school. All she wanted to do was stay home and cry after her bullies made fun of her red hair.
Gagen was the only girl in her class with reddish hair, and she remembered not even seeing anyone with such hair on TV. Every day her classmates found a new way to make fun of her, which shook her confidence.
The bullying
The girl from Lancashire, England, not only witnessed mean acts, but also recalled being called names by her classmates. The bullying affected her so badly that she had to hide in the bathroom for lunch.
Whenever her teachers asked students to split into groups, Gagen was left alone because she had no friends. She recalled:
«I used to feel very bad.»
The bullying
The girl from Lancashire, England, not only witnessed mean acts, but also recalled being called names by her classmates. The bullying affected her so badly that she had to hide in the bathroom for lunch.
Whenever her teachers asked students to split into groups, Gagen was left alone because she had no friends. She recalled:
«I used to feel very bad.»
Loneliness
Gagen remembered that she used to ignore what other students said about her, but deep inside, the mean comments affected her greatly. Her emotions pent up and she cried at home every day after she returned from school.
Gagen soon found a close circle of friends and graduated from high school with excellent grades.
The teenager longed to make friends, but no one liked to talk to her. Gagen often doubted her own appearance. Little did the young girl know that years later she would win the Miss England crown.
The lesson
Because of the never-ending peer pressure, Gagen often thought about dyeing her hair as a teenager. However, she dismissed her thoughts because she never had a problem with her appearance. It was the people around her who wanted to make her feel bad about herself.
Soon she realized that she couldn’t let other people define her worth. Gagen learned to ignore what her classmates said about her, which helped her feel confident.
Toward the end of high school, she found a close group of friends who encouraged her instead of making mean comments about her hair color. She soon graduated with excellent grades and newfound confidence.
The next chapter
The next chapter of her story began after she signed modeling contracts at 18. She traveled the world to conquer the catwalks, showing off her red locks, which had seemed impossible years ago.
In addition to competing in beauty contests, Gagen continued her education and is now pursuing her master’s degree in aerospace engineering at Liverpool University.
In 2021, Gagen competed for Miss England, but narrowly lost the crown to Rehema Muthamia. However, she won the Miss England crown on October 17, 2022. She said:
«I thought if I could win this, I could help children who are bullied because of their appearance and hair color.»
Miss England 2022
Gagen’s win was even more special because it was the first time for 94 years that a redhead won the crown. Gagen was very proud to represent redheads and be an inspiration to them.
Gagen revealed that most girls who participate in such beauty pageants have a message in mind that they want to spread. For Gagen, it was to encourage women to study STEM sciences, but she later realized that she was also representing redheads.
«A lot of people think it’s about winning a crown, and it’s not. It’s about spreading a message,» Gagen said. She advised children to turn their suffering into their superpower, in the event that they are also bullied.
Aside from sending positive messages through her work, Gagen has raised over $7,300 (circa 7,124 euros) by leading charity events in glamorous dresses.
Gagen aims to empower children who are bullied because of their appearance. She wants them to know that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and that they should not give up.
Gagen’s story is truly inspiring and we hope she achieves all her goals.
