A North Geelong woman is using her position as a finalist in a national pageant to encourage men and women to break gender stereotypes.
Abby Sharma is a finalist in the 2025 Mrs Galaxy Australia, forming part of the Australia Galaxy Pageants, an inclusive competition that gives women and girls a chance to be the best versions of themselves.
The 32-year-old said she was an “architect by profession” and competed in pageants as a hobby and to help motivate women.
“This is my happy place and where I get to be myself. There are no judgements, constraints, or restrictions. We’re just all married women having fun while competing,” Mrs Sharma said.
“It’s helping us to build our platform and be involved with the community, and many things are going on in terms of fundraising, charity events, and just working on ourselves.
“I’m representing my community and my culture. I’m not an outsider, but I come from a different background. So, it’s a good platform to represent myself and my identity.
“Women are empowered, and we just need a little bit of support to help us achieve what we want. Through this platform, I challenge men to bring change and break gender stereotypes.
“I’ve done pageants in the past, so this is not my first pageant. I was first runner up in Mrs India Worldwide, so that was my starting point. I then took a break back in 2022 when I was pregnant with my son.”
The pageant’s National Final will occur from April 30 to May 3, and the Crowning Gala will be held on May 3.
Jena Carr
