A MODEL who thought her pageant days were behind her when she gained weight during pregnancy is empowering women to feel positive about their bodies.
Megan Byrne, of Wrexham, took part in pageants for years - describing herself as the typical thin model.
But when the 22-year-old gained weight while pregnant with son Frankie, she thought her days on the runway were over.
But an invitation to compete for the Miss Voluptuous Wales crown restored Megan's confidence.
Now, hoping to pursue a career as a model, she hopes her story can inspire women to feel beautiful whatever their body type.
Model Megan Byrne of Wrexham.
Megan said: "I thought that nobody is going to accept my now. I just fell down that rabbit hole of thinking that this isn't what people want.
She added: "I did pageants for about seven years, and I had the stereotypical pageant look - I was skinny with long, curly hair. But I wasn't in a healthy place, I had bad eating habits to stay that size. I felt pressured."
"But when I was eighteen, I fell pregnant and put on weight. I thought I don't look that way now, pageants aren't for me anymore.
"But the director of the Miss Voluptuous pageants contacted me and she helped me learn to love my body again. It helped me, because I was adamant that I wasn't beautiful anymore and that nobody would like me because I'd put weight on. It was such a ridiculous way of thinking."
In February, Megan was crowned Miss Voluptuous Wales.
"Now I want to show others that they don't have to look a certain way," she said.
"I want to help people to understand that they don't have to fit into society's mould to be beautiful."
Model Megan Byrne of Wrexham.
However, Megan's return to modelling has not been without its share of criticism from haters who think women should look a certain way.
Megan added: "As I've been trying to break into the modelling world, it's been very difficult. They will say they are body positive, but they will only go up to a size 16. They don't want bodies that are 'too big'.
"The average woman in the UK is size 12 to 16, so I am the 'average' size of a woman.
"I get posts weekly on my Facebook page and in my messages on Instagram that I should be ashamed on myself because of my weight. That I shouldn't promote 'being fat'.
Model Megan Byrne of Wrexham.
Now, Megan has been given a wider platform to promote her "empower, elevate, celebrate" message.
She will be filming a new series called The Fashion Hero in South Africa next year that champions non-stereotypical models.
She explained: "The show is for people who wouldn’t usually be given a second look in a typical modelling agency because of their weight/ size. The message isn't just about excepting plus size bodies, it's about excepting all body types, it has contestant from sixe 4 to size 34. They should all be appreciated.
"I am a plus size woman from Wrexham using my pageant title and influence and now my potential place in this show to show people that you don’t need to fit into the social expectation of body size to be ‘beautiful’ and I am doing what I can to spread this message of body appreciation and empowerment."
You can follow Megan on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/__megbyrne__/
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