Mrs Australia Piper O’Neill on body image
CARING for a newborn baby is hardly the most glamorous job, but that’s exactly what Piper O’Neill will be doing while prepping for one of the world’s glitziest events.
CARING for a newborn baby is hardly the most glamorous job, but that’s exactly what Piper O’Neill will be doing while prepping for one of the world’s glitziest events — the Mrs International competition.
The Mrs International beauty pageant, which is being held on July 24 in Florida, is for married women only. O’Neill took over the Mrs Australia title from Kate Johnson at the end of December, after Johnson split from her husband of five years in September.
The Miss Universe pageant is only open to unmarried women who have never given birth. So no, single mothers cannot apply.
O’Neill gave birth to her second child, Taylor in January. She and her husband Jordan Green also have a 19-month-old daughter, Elise.
The Mrs International competition likes to think it’s the demure older sister to the Miss Universe pageant — because 50 per cent of each contestant’s score is based on charity work.
But the ladies still have to sashay around in evening gowns and fitness wear (“No swimwear, thank God,” says O’Neill) to make up the other 50 per cent.
O’Neill is an ambassador for Look Good, Feel Better and is involved with Mums on a Mission and the Touch of Goodness Foundation.
“Unlike most pageants, Mrs Australia is not based on your looks. It’s more about the contribution to your family and your charity and community work,” O’Neill told news.com.au.
“And unlike Miss Universe, it’s for married women of all different shapes and sizes.”
But the 31-year-old says she isn’t immune to the pressure to look good at the competition just months after having a baby.
“For me, getting my body back after pregnancy, it’s sort of been pressure that I’ve laid on myself. I think women do that. We do feel it from society and glossy magazines as well, but I think we put it on ourselves.
“When I got pregnant, I wasn’t one of those women who had a tiny basketball in front of me. My body embraced pregnancy and I did gain of lot of weight. So just coming to terms with that was difficult. But now that I look back on it, it was for such a short amount of time and I have two beautiful children and I would go through that again if I have to.”
“My body image is definitely a work in progress, but day by day I’m definitely improving. I’ve overcome a lot of insecurities about my body.
“When I was pregnant with my first child it was a bit of a shock. I felt like I was losing control of my body. All of a sudden I went from this thin person to growing a huge belly. It was very different from what I thought my body was like.
“I look at my body now … it’s pretty amazing how we’re able to make babies. It takes nine months to put the weight on so I’m giving myself at least nine months to work it off!
“I’m breastfeeding — I can’t live off salads all day. I’m trying to do a good 30 minutes of cardio a day, which of course is hard as a new mother. I’m not doing it to be skinny, but to be healthy, no matter what size I am.”
Late last year the Miss World pageant (confused? This one is different to Miss Universe) announced the competition will no longer feature a swimsuit round.
There’s an ongoing debate about whether the swimsuit round ensures the focus remains on the contestant’s bodies, rather the things they say.
O’Neill says she doesn’t think the swimsuit round should be banned.
“Women have beautiful bodies. The women in the competition look amazing. If you look like that why wouldn’t you want to be in a swimsuit?
“I do understand some places want to ban it and they’re entitled to their beliefs. I think in Australia we tend to be a very bikini body country and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
O’Neill says she’s feeling confident going into the competition.
“I’m actually feeling really good. Of course I’d love to bring back the crown, but I think because I already have the title of Mrs Australia, this is just the icing on the cake.”