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Vickie Rushton: ‘Joining Binibining Pilipinas is one of the best decisions I’ve made’

Vickie Rushton: ‘Joining Binibining Pilipinas is one of the best decisions I’ve made’

By PUSH TEAM 4 YEARS AGO

Vickie Rushton happily looked back on her ten-year journey in the pageant scene as she expressed excitement for her second stint in the national pageant ‘Binibining Pilipinas’ this year.

Through Instagram on Saturday, the beauty queen remembered her first experience as a 16-year-old student competing in a local pageant.

10 years ago, I was kind of forced to join our local pageant. I remember not putting so much effort into it and I remember crying because I didn’t want to wear a swimsuit specifcally, a bikini. Few days before the pageant, I talked to our Director that I won’t go out on stage (to walk and dance for our opening prod) wearing a bikini. I told him I don’t mind having no score in the swimsuit competition. My 16yo self didn’t like the idea of dancing wearing a bikini on stage in front of maaaany people I don’t even know. I was uncomfortable with the idea of “showing” my body. We all went out the stage wearing a cover up. ✌🏻 Hahaha! Just when I thought I was excluded from the list, I won Best in Swimsuit. I joined and won 3 crowns that year. I then spent my 2010 doing turnovers. In 2011, i joined a National pageant and won but I wasnt able to compete in my international pageant. I was a student and I wasn’t allowed to be absent for a long time. I also had to prioritise my education because I wanted to graduate on time. For me, that’s one of the best gifts I can give my parents - my diploma and not a crown that time. It has been 10 years and I didn’t regret joining my very first pageant. I have lessons, realizations, and a loooot of stories to tell. It opened my heart and my mind to see what kind of platform pageantry is. I realized that standing up for what you believe in and what you think is right wouldn’t harm you. There are people around us that will listen and respect our beliefs. You see, it’s now about what you wear but how you carry yourself. Joining Binibining Pilipinas is one of the best decisions I’ve made. Joining this year is my choice and it’s a different feeling. I am beyond happy. Supportive family and friends. My advocacy. My supporters. My prayer warriors. My silent supporters/fans. My angels. Because of you, I am whole and I am ready. ♥️ #BeyondBeauty #BbPilipinas2019 Photo: @themarknetodiaz Hair: @kiel.hair Styled by @justine.aliman19

A post shared by Vickie Marie Rushton (@vimrushton) on

“10 years ago, I was kind of forced to join our local pageant. I remember not putting so much effort into it and I remember crying because I didn’t want to wear a swimsuit specifically, a bikini. Few days before the pageant, I talked to our Director that I won’t go out on stage (to walk and dance for our opening prod) wearing a bikini. I told him I don’t mind having no score in the swimsuit competition,” she wrote.

Vickie said that she was uncomfortable with the idea of dancing in a bikini on stage and in front of a crowd of strangers.

“My 16-year-old self didn’t like the idea of dancing wearing a bikini on stage in front of maaaany people I don’t even know,” she told. “I was uncomfortable with the idea of ‘showing’ my body. We all went out the stage wearing a cover up. Hahaha!”

Nevertheless, the former “Pino Big Brother” housemate ended up winning Best in Swimsuit.

“I joined and won 3 crowns that year,” she continued. “I then spent my 2010 doing turnovers. In 2011, I joined a National pageant and won but I wasnt able to compete in my international pageant. I was a student and I wasn’t allowed to be absent for a long time. I also had to prioritise my education because I wanted to graduate on time. For me, that’s one of the best gifts I can give my parents - my diploma and not a crown that time.”

Having gained “lessons, realizations, and a lot of stories to tell”, Vickie said that her earlier perspective of the industry has since changed over the past ten years that she was actively joining pageants.

She wrote, “It opened my heart and my mind to see what kind of platform pageantry is. I realized that standing up for what you believe in and what you think is right wouldn’t harm you.

“There are people around us that will listen and respect our beliefs. You see, it’s now about what you wear but how you carry yourself.

“Binibining Pilipinas is one of the best decisions I’ve made. Joining this year is my choice and it’s a different feeling. I am beyond happy.”

Currently, Vickie is vying for the Miss Universe Philippines crown as an official candidate to the Binibining Pilipinas this year.

She also competed in the popular national pageant last year, but fell short in her bid to win after finishing as first runner-up. She was bested by Catriona Gray, who ended up taking home the crown in the Miss Universe in 2018.

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