Jessica Gagen, hailing from Lancashire, England, had a tough childhood due to relentless teasing for her red hair. She was named Miss England in 2022, standing out because of her unique hair. Her peers, unfortunately, did not find this endearing. They made fun of her and excluded her from social groups. Jessica recalled being called names, spat on, and even physically abused because of her hair color.

“I was called names on a regular basis, and although I don’t believe the kids were intentionally doing it, there were undoubtedly times they were,” she shared. She had to eat lunch alone in the restroom during year 7 because no one would sit with her.

As she grew older, Jessica pursued a modeling career and quickly gained recognition for her distinctive fashion sense. Her goal is to support children enduring similar abuse by achieving success. Jessica encourages them, saying, “it won’t last forever.” She turned her challenging experiences into a source of motivation, proving that appearance should never define a person’s worth.