By: Alva Ree
In a society obsessed with image, numbers, and approval, stepping onto a beauty pageant stage can feel terrifying—even unthinkable—for many women. What if I’m too old? Too emotional? Too curvy? Not enough? These are the questions that echo in the minds of countless women who admire from afar but never dare to participate. But Iryna Kovalova, a mother, transformational coach, and motivational speaker, is preparing for Ms. World America 2025 not to chase a crown, but to rewrite the rules for what it means to be beautiful, worthy, and seen.
Q: Iryna, let’s start with the most obvious question. Why a beauty pageant—and why now?
Iryna: Because I want to prove something, not to the judges, but to the women who are watching. I want them to see someone real on that stage. Someone who’s a mother, someone who’s been through emotional storms, someone who has days of doubt and days of strength. I want to show them that you don’t need to wait until you’re “perfect” to step forward. You’re already worthy now.
Q: What do you think holds most women back from even considering something like a pageant, or simply being visible?
Iryna: Fear of being judged. Fear of not fitting into the mold. Women worry about everything—age, weight, wrinkles, stretch marks, cellulite, and emotions. Social media has raised the bar to a point where “real” is no longer accepted as beautiful.
And it’s heartbreaking. I talk to women every day who tell me, “Maybe if I lose 10 pounds,” or “Maybe if I were younger,” or “I don’t want to be laughed at.” The fear of bullying, of ridicule, of rejection—it keeps them small.
Q: How do you, as a motivational coach, help them overcome that fear?
Iryna: By reminding them that power begins with presence, not perfection.
I help women come back to themselves. We stop chasing some fantasy version of who we should be—and start embracing who we already are. I teach them to work with their emotions, not against them. To create rituals that ground them. To speak to themselves with compassion instead of criticism.
Most of all, I hold space for their transformation, not by fixing them, but by walking beside them. And this pageant? It’s just another extension of that message. I’m doing this so they can say, “If she can do it, maybe I can too.”
Q: Have you had any moments of doubt yourself during this preparation?
Iryna: Absolutely. I’m not immune to the noise. I’ve had thoughts like, “What will people say?” “Am I too late?” “Will I be accepted?” But here’s the difference: I don’t let those thoughts make decisions for me. I acknowledge them, and then I move anyway.
I’m not trying to be the youngest or the most glamorous. I’m showing up as myself—with my story, my strength, and my truth. And I believe that’s more powerful than any filter or number on a scale.
Q: What message are you hoping to send to women watching your journey?
Iryna: That beauty is not about conformity—it’s about courage. And that strength looks different on every woman.
You can be beautiful and vulnerable. You can be successful and still be healing. You can be a mother, a dreamer, a leader, a beginner—all at once.
I want women to stop shrinking themselves to fit into old systems. Your age does not disqualify you. Your weight does not define you. Your emotions do not weaken you. You are not “too much.” You are not “too late.” You are right on time.
Q: What has surprised you most during this journey to the pageant?
Iryna: The sisterhood. I expected competition, but I’ve found a connection. So many of the women I’ve met are here for the same reason—to grow, to heal, to stretch, to inspire. We’ve all had to overcome something to even be here.
And also—how empowering it feels to claim space. To walk, to speak, to be seen. Not for attention, but for embodiment. It’s not about applause. It’s about owning your moment.
Q: What would you say to a woman reading this right now, who feels like she’s “not enough”?
Iryna: I would say: You are enough simply because you exist. Not because you checked every box or fixed every flaw. But because you are here, alive, feeling, trying. That is more than enough.
And if you feel a desire in your heart—whether to stand on a stage, write a book, start a business, or simply be seen—follow it. Not when you’re perfect. Now. Messy. Brave. Real.
Q: Final thoughts as you step closer to the big day at Ms. World America?
Iryna: I’m not going there to compete. I’m going there to represent all the women who were told they were too old, too emotional, too flawed to be beautiful.
I’m walking that stage for the women who stayed silent for too long. For the mothers who forgot they’re still goddesses. For the women who survived storms and still chose to rise.
This is not just a pageant. It’s a message: You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to be powerful and soft, strong and sensitive, whole and healing—all at once.
And you don’t need anyone’s permission. Just your own.
