By Marcus Uhe
Clyde North will have a representative in this year’s Mrs Galaxy Australia competition with Sonia Gupta selected as Mrs Clyde North Galaxy 2022.
The Early Childhood Educator aims to use the contest and the platform provided to raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage people to have these conversations and seek help if they need it.
Ms Gupta battled mental health issues when she arrived in Australia from India in 2013 and wants to erase any stigma associated with seeking help.
“When I arrived in Australia it was very overwhelming for me,” Ms Gupta said. “I didn’t know anyone here except my husband, and it was very overwhelming and I started to get depressed and anxious.
“In middle-class families, parents still don’t take their children to a psychiatrist or psychologist because they’re still ashamed, they’re still thinking about other family members and other societal issues.
“I want them to stop worrying about other family members and society and I want them to start thinking about their children, their family.”
While the stigma surrounding mental health is no longer as prevalent as it once was in Australia, Ms Gupta, from Jalandhar in the northern Indian state of Punjab, said her home community has work to do to match Australia’s level of acceptance.
“Things are getting better, but in small towns and middle-class families, people still don’t care. They don’t want to discuss it or talk about it, even to their parents, because they are afraid of what their parents will think, that they might be ashamed of them.
“It still happens in small towns and lower middle class families.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve seen people are very aware of speaking out.”
As the world recognizes the contribution of women through the observance of International Women’s Day on Tuesday, March 8, Ms. Gupta wants women to challenge outdated stereotypes related to her gender.
“In our culture, especially in lower middle class families, girls are still told that when we grow up we are supposed to focus on cooking, cleaning, babysitting and looking after your husband.
“I just want to let them know that we are capable of more than that and that we are strong and we can do a lot.
“If you are passionate about believing in yourself and your dreams, you can do anything.”
The Galaxy Australia Pageants 2022 National Finals will be held in Sydney from Wednesday April 6 to Saturday April 9, with the winner getting the chance to represent Australia at the Galaxy International Pageant in Texas, USA.
Contest entrants will be evaluated on five criteria; an interview, their photogenics, the swimsuit contest, their evening dress and the fashion contest.
Ms. Gupta will use the interview component to open up about her struggles in the hope that it will inspire others to do the same.
“I know it’s going to be difficult, but I want to try this.
“I come from a small town in India and especially in urban areas there are very few psychologists and psychiatrists.
“I know it’s hard for me, but I want to make positive changes until my community sees this as normal, that the people who have been through this aren’t mentally weak, they are strong, and that helps them. will make you stronger.
“If they think they’re mentally weak because they’re going through this, they’re not. It will make them stronger.”
For more information on the competition, visit australiagalaxypageants.com/