The organization of Miss Earth USA held the coronation ceremony on 17th January 2021 at the Linda Chapin Theatre located in the Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, Florida where Marisa Paige Butler was crowned as the new Miss Earth USA 2021 and earned the opportunity to represent USA at Miss Earth 2021.
One of the highlights of the beauty competition was Miss Wisconsin Earth USA 2021 Emma Loney who not only placed at Top 12 at the end of the event finale but was also the one who broke all the serotypes on-stage with her confidence and strong performance. She was appreciated because she showcased that beauty pageants and beauty in general is not just confined to slim bodies as she is a plus size model.
Emma finished at the top 12 and after the competition took to her social media to share her emotions, she stated, “All I can say is how absolutely humbled and thankful I am. This has been a dream for so long, and to stand amongst such strong, intelligent, accomplished women was truly an honour.” She also thanked the organization by stating, “Thank you for believing in me and showing me nothing but love and support, along with putting not only me, but other curvy women on a national stage. This means more to me and so many curvy girls and women out there than you guys will ever know!”
The diva started her beauty pageant journey at the age of 16-years and soon realised that the title and platform can be used to implement changes in the society. She shared, “Being a curvy titleholder has shown me that the pageant industry is changing and though not all organizations are as progressive, there are many are starting to celebrate women of all shapes and sizes. Being a positive role model and a great titleholder is not indicative of fitting a certain mould of external appearance.”
During an interview, she was asked if she considers herself as a hero or not, to wish she replied, “I’ve always aimed to be a positive role model and advocate. I always have wanted to be a person people feel inspired by and can help them be comfortable in their own skin. I’ve always done my best to advocate for those that couldn’t advocate for themselves. But do I see myself as a hero? No. Just a person trying to make the world a better place.”
Emma mentioned that she loves the interview round of the competition as it allows her to tell the judges her goals, passions and why she’s there and to her that is the most important thing. The pageant fanatics all over the world have appreciated not only Emma for her performance but the organization for eradicating the rules that gave her a chance to participate. She describes herself as passionate, outgoing, and driven. She showcased that beauty pageant is a platform that is open for all women across the globe and give her the power to make a change.
Emma decided to participate at Miss Earth USA 2020 because she wants to educate and create awareness regarding Climate Change. She stated, “We are single handily destroying our only home. If changes are not made, humanity will no longer exist. If we want to continue as a species, we need to take immediate action.”
The diva showcases that she is not only the one who has broken the set notions of beauty standards for beauty pageants but also working hard to empower women just like her and making them realize that if they want something in life, they must work hard for it and not listen to what others say.