PRECIOUS NOT ALONE: PLUS TEEN PAGEANT DISCOVERS MUCH ABUSE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) November 4, 2009 -- United States – Gabourey “Gabby Sibide, who stars in the movie, ‘Precious’, a story based on the novel ‘PUSH’ by Sapphire, portrays a poor, illiterate, and overweight teen who has been tormented by abuse from her family, peers, and society. Unfortunately, in today’s society, Precious does not live on an island by herself.

During the weekend of October 23-25, 2009, Dallas/Ft. Worth played host to the Plus Teen USA 2009 Pageant and Conference. Young ladies ages 13-19 who wear sizes 12 and up (13 in juniors), gathered together in Arlington, Texas from all over the United States for fun, friendship, education, and inspiration to celebrate themselves in the skin they’re in, while discovering their true beauty from the inside, out. Each of the beautiful contestants walked away with a renewed sense of self esteem, self awareness, self image, self acceptance…SELF.

Christina Pagliarulo, a contestant whose weight kept her a prisoner inside of her home due to the torment she also suffered because of her weight states:

"I had the most amazing time as a contestant in the Plus Teen USA Pageant and Conference! And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I fit in; as though there was somewhere where I belonged. I felt beautiful and like I deserved to feel beautiful. I can now walk down a street with my head held high. Thank you so much. I hope to be back next year with my sister.” – Christina Pagliarulo, Contestant

In a prelude to her original monologue during the talent competition, Alexis Wilson eluded to acts of abuse by someone close to her. In her stirring portrayal of her introduction to the ugly culprit who one might interpret as “abuse”, she began with the words, “It was you; you who tore my dreams apart. You stomped all over my heart. You didn’t care. You left me suffocating there.”

Sharon Quinn, the 6 foot, shaved-head beauty known as “The Original Runway Diva” who is infamous for her appearances on all three seasons of the Oxygen Network’s popular “MoNique’s F.A.T. Chance”, was the Featured Speaker and Modeling Trainer for the “An Afternoon with Sharon Quinn and Friends” conference, which was held on October 24. Powerful panelists discussed issues regarding body image and self esteem, plus size women titleholders from Oklahoma participated in a “Uniquely You” fashion show where they demonstrated and discussed appropriate wardrobing for ones individual body type, and Norm Sunshine, Owner of Sunshine Productions Modeling Agency, discussed his plans to kick off a plus size division in conjunction with Jacqueline Lawrence, Founder of Plus Teen USA, to meet the booming demand for plus size models.

Ruby Gettinger from the Style Network’s “Ruby” attended the pageant and conference, which will be filmed during the third season of her show, to share her inspirational story w

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