{"id":539386,"date":"2026-04-19T12:47:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/539386\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T12:47:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T12:47:22","slug":"grimsby-girl-bullied-for-having-ginger-hair-heading-for-us-to-compete-after-winning-prestigious-uk-pageant-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/539386\/","title":{"rendered":"Grimsby girl bullied for having ginger hair heading for US to compete after winning prestigious UK pageant title"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Emily Taylor, 16, will be up against international competition in Florida<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Emily Taylor, 16, of Grimsby, pictured right, won the title of International Junior Miss United Kingdom Jr Teen and her friend Millie Mae Robinson holds the IJM International Teen title\" loading=\"eager\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_hum-170426-emily-taylor-Copy.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Emily Taylor, 16, of Grimsby, pictured right, won the title of International Junior Miss United Kingdom Jr Teen and her friend Millie Mae Robinson holds the IJM International Teen title\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Emily Taylor, 16, of Grimsby, pictured right, won the title of International Junior Miss United Kingdom Jr Teen and her friend Millie Mae Robinson holds the IJM International Teen title(Image: Dan Bowhay)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A thrilled teenager from Grimsby is celebrating after scooping a top beauty pageant title. Emily Taylor, 16, claimed the title of International Junior Miss United Kingdom (IJMUK) Jr Teen and will now go to <a aria-label=\"FloridaLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk\/news\/grimsby-news\/talented-grimsby-cheerleaders-heading-usa-10091751\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Florida<\/a> to represent the UK, alongside winning a \u00a320k prize package.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The <a aria-label=\"Toll Bar AcademyLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk\/news\/grimsby-news\/fingers-crossed-you-room-little-10518053\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Toll Bar Academy<\/a> student has been part of the pageant scene since she was seven and has been entering IJMUK since she was 12. Her mum Sara Tayor said: \u201cEmily has been doing this pageant for the last four years and has always made the top five &#8211; but never won.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThis was her time; her dedication and perseverance have paid off.\u201d IJMUK is a premier <a aria-label=\"beautyLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk\/news\/grimsby-news\/beauty-salon-turns-heads-scoop-10828810\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">beauty<\/a> pageant dedicated to celebrating and encouraging the positive achievements of young ladies aged four to 39.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Its mission is to \u201cempower and inspire the next generation of young women, providing them with opportunities to shine and succeed\u201d, and includes an interview, fun fashion and evening gown rounds. The recent UK final, which crowns seven national titleholders, was held in Trowbridge, Wiltshire and earned the winning competitors the opportunity to compete internationally in the USA at the renowned International Junior Miss (IJM) pageant.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sara said: \u201cEmily has finally got her dream. She\u2019s grown so much in her confidence and personal belief this year.<\/p>\n<p>READ MORE: <a class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" data-tmdatatrack=\"read-more\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"7715629\" data-tmdatatrack-source=\"editorial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hulldailymail.co.uk\/news\/uk-world-news\/girl-who-bullied-school-looks-7715629\" tabindex=\"0\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Girl who was bullied at school for her looks is named Miss England<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s done pageants since she was seven. The reason we got her into them was because she has ginger hair and she was bullied for that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cMy friend said about getting her into pageants and helping her build her confidence.\u201d Emily, who was 16 in February and is studying for her GCSEs, will be spending the coming New Year in Florida with her mum and her dad, Craig, as IJM will take place from December 29 to January 2.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cEmily is over the moon,\u201d her mum said. \u201cWe\u2019re all going for the experience; we\u2019ll spend a bit of time going around the Disney parks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sara said: \u201cEmily\u2019s doing really well at school and would like to go to London College of Fashion to study marketing and business. She loves to read and to spend time with her friends, and enjoys singing and dancing &#8211; the pageants don\u2019t take over her life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Emily posted about her recent success, saying: \u201cWow. Where to start?<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"17\/04\/26 - Emily Taylor, 16, of Grimsby, pictured right, won the title of international Junior Miss United Kingdom Jr Teen and is going to Florida to represent the UK. She is seen with Millie Mae Robinson, who holds the IJM International Teen title\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0_hum-170426-emily-taylor.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p aria-label=\"Emily Taylor, right, and Millie Mae Robinson at the International Junior Miss United Kingdom event\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Emily Taylor, right, and Millie Mae Robinson at the International Junior Miss United Kingdom event(Image: Dan Bowhay)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIf I could speak to 12-year-old me right now, she\u2019d be screaming. This journey has been a four-year-long process I wouldn\u2019t change for the world, and I am forever grateful for the woman IJM has shaped me into today, and helped me grow into over the years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cThis title is more than just a crown and sash, it has been my dream for four long, hardworking years come true.\u201d She thanked her family and everyone who has supported her, including best friend Millie Mae Robinson, who holds the IJM International Teen title, saying: \u201cWe started this dream together and I can\u2019t wait to experience our year together as UK and International sister queens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Did you know you can make Grimsby Live a preferred source of news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? <a aria-label=\"Here&#039;s more informationLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk\/news\/grimsby-news\/more-grimsby-live-exclusives-signing-10710262\" rel=\"follow nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">Here&#8217;s more information<\/a> about what this means and how to do it &#8211; you can also do it straight away by <a aria-label=\"clicking hereLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=grimsbytelegraph.co.uk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">clicking here<\/a> .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Emily Taylor, 16, will be up against international competition in Florida Emily Taylor, 16, of Grimsby, pictured right,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":539387,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1398,59,11823,844,57,58,43110,50,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-539386","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-united-kingdom","8":"tag-education","9":"tag-gb","10":"tag-good-news","11":"tag-google","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-greatbritain","14":"tag-grimsby","15":"tag-news","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom","18":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/539386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=539386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/539386\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/539387"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=539386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=539386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=539386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}