At 35, I won a beauty pageant. I wanted to show my kids I could do anything.

"Historically, most pageant systems were restricted to unmarried women aged 18 to 28 with no children. Over the past five years, many systems across the US have expanded requirements to include more women. This shift isn't unique to my pageant organization, but a broader trend within the industry. Another example: our pageant system was really positive when it came to physical attributes; we had a lot of women with tattoos. There was even a woman in my category who was in her mid-50s."

"In my pageant, the interview portion accounted for most of my score. Pageantry offers a platform to pursue a new hobby or amplify an existing passion. Every contestant represents a platform or nonprofit. I wanted to show my kids I could do it Following my divorce, I was in a period of self-discovery. Competing for and winning Ms. Maine while raising two children and navigating a new career path was a significant undertaking, but I wanted to show my children that their mother is powerful and capable of achieving anything - including winning a title at age 35 and walking across a stage in a bikini."

Kristan Vermeulen won the United States of America Pageants' Ms. Maine title in 2025 at age 35 while raising two children and navigating a new career path. Pageant systems have broadened eligibility over recent years to include older, married, and tattooed contestants, reflecting industry-wide shifts. Her pageant prioritized interview performance and required each contestant to represent a platform or nonprofit. The environment emphasized camaraderie and mutual support rather than interpersonal conflict. Vermeulen trained seriously, hiring a walking coach, and pursued the title to model resilience and capability for her children during a period of self-discovery after divorce.

Read at Business Insider