Erin Giblin-Lloyd was Miss Junior Teen Diamond Australia 2018. The memory of receiving the crown back in 2018 is still something that plays on repeat in Erin’s mind, it served as a reminder that hard work, determination, and the support from your loved ones, can help anyone achieve anything. 2018 was her third year competing in Miss Diamond Australia pageant, and every year she felt a part of something bigger than just a beauty pageant – Miss Diamond Australia became a family. Although she never expected to win, it was the icing on the cake as she had the pleasure of competing with girls she can now call close friends. Thanks to Miss Diamond Australia and the opportunities winning gave her, she went on to win the Miss Teen Category Grand Winner in December that year at the Face Australia Glamour Awards – this helped her to move on and win Miss Teen Globe Australia. She was also given the chance to judge other pageants, which was quite different for her as it’s a completely different experience where you have to make decisions that can impact the people involved differently – she enjoyed the experience none the less. She has decided to step back from the modelling world for a while as she is currently pursuing an education in university studying Bachelor of Criminology with her sights set on joining the Queensland Police Force in the not too distant future.
GEQ magazine recently caught up with Erin to discuss her journey in the pageant world and here’s what went down:
How did you get into the pageant industry?
I entered a Miss country girl pageant when I was 11. This pageant, the photoshoot, and the images that I received at the end of the event was what actually helped me to become discovered and get my foot in the door of the pageant industry.
What do you like most about being a beauty queen?
The thing I like most about being a beauty queen is being able to set an example to the younger prince and princesses and show them although they may think the pageant is based on how pretty you are on the outside but that isn’t the only case – the way to hold yourself and treat others far outweighs how well you walk down the catwalk.
The downside to being a beauty queen?
I must be one of the lucky ones as I have been blessed enough that I have not found a downside to being a beauty queen the pageants I have entered have only ever left me with the knowledge to help me move further in the pageant industry.
What has been the most memorable experience of being in the pageant industry so far?
My most memorable experience of being in the pageant industry so far would be when I won Miss Teen Globe Australia and became eligible to represent my country Australia at Paraguay.
Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?
The most interesting person I have meet so far in the modelling industry would have to be Rocky Gathercole – meeting him and having the incredible opportunity to model for him on the runway in 2018 at the Face Australia Glamour Awards where I won Grand Winner in the Miss Teen Category was an anazing experience.
What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the pageant industry. This can be about the industry or yourself.
With hard work and determination you can achieve more than you ever thought possible. Being a beauty queen has also shown me that being in the pageant industry gives people a platform to help people not only during the course of the event but as a friend and mentor.
Working in an industry whose only emphasis is on the outside characteristics of a person, how have you stayed grounded?
I have used my farm life where there is always something to be done to stay grounded because in the farm it doesn’t matter what title you hold or how many crowns you have.
Is your family supportive of you being in the pageant industry?
My involvement in the pageant industry would not be possible without the never-ending love and support that I get from my family, especially from my mum as she has taught me everything I needed to know to get me to where I am today.
What are your future plans? Inside pageantry or out of it.
I have been apart of the pageant industry since I was 11 and it has certainly helped shape me to be the person I am today. I have decided to take a step back from pageantry though so I can pursue a career in Criminology with hopes of ending up in the Queensland Police Force in the not too distant future. I will return to the pageant industry at some point eventually.
The ‘LIGHTNING FAST’ Round:
1. Last good movie I’ve seen: Pay it forward
2. What do you consider beautiful and why? Beautiful to me is respect, care and simplicity. This is because having respect and care for yourself and other people far outshines the other characteristics of a person and I see simple as beautiful because something doesn’t need to be fancy and expensive to be considered beautiful.
3. What haven’t you done yet that you wish you could? I haven’t yet had the chance to travel to Scotland and this is something I wish to do in the future.
4. What is the one “flaw” you wouldn’t change about yourself? It depends on what you classify as a “flaw” but last year I was diagnosed Follicular Carcinoma which is a type of cancer that affects the thyroid. I underwent radiation therapy whist doing my last year of schooling and preparing for my HSC exams. I wouldn’t change this “flaw” as it helped me realize that even though life can get difficult – if I put my head down and never give up I can push myself to achieve things I once thought was impossible. I also managed to pass all of my HSC exams.