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JACKSON, MI – Her training in classical dance opened Peyton Lowder’s eyes to what women go through with body image.
“Looking at myself in clothes that pretty much made me look naked every single day caused some really bad self-body image issues,” she said. “I started talking to some of the girls around me and noticed they were dealing with the same thing. So, that was when we decided to have a therapist come in and talk to all the girls.”
The experience prompted Lowder, 18, of Jackson to become an advocate for women and mental health. It’s a platform she’ll take with her when she competes for the Miss Michigan title in June 2023, after having won the Miss Jackson Crossroads Scholarship Pageant on Aug. 6.
Related: These are the participants in this year’s Miss Jackson Crossroads Scholarship Pageant
Winning the Miss Jackson Crossroads pageant was a happy shock, said Lowder, daughter of Tracey and Shannon Lowder of Jackson and a recent graduate of Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, where her father is a principal.
“Once the shock wore off, it was just like, everything that I’ve worked for has been coming true,” Lowder said.
Pageants and performing have been a part of most of Lowder’s life. She has been a Miss Michigan Princess Program winner and won the Outstanding Teen Scholarship Pageant in 2018.
“(Pageants) really just got me hooked. I started developing my interview skills and got my community service together and eventually I fell in love with my social impact initiative, the Eating Disorders & Education Network,” Lowder said.
When she decided to run for the Miss Jackson Crossroads pageant, Lowder said EDEN was an important cause for her to focus on, as she strives to create a safe space for women.
One of Lowder’s biggest inspirations, she said, is her mother, who is a psychologist and owns A Healing Place LLC in Jackson. Her mother’s care for others’ mental health has influenced her to help others, she said.
“Mental health is really important right now, and I think that they’re recognizing that and giving people the help they need,” Lowder said.
Another way Lowder helps women is through her PJ’s Icy Closet, where she rents dresses for those who may not be able to afford to buy a dress for a one-night event, she said.
“They just want something that’s nice and that’s of good quality that they just need for one night and so that’s what I do. I give that service,” Lowder said.
Lowder plans to attend Jackson College in the fall to pursue a business degree. She said she hopes to get into fashion, so she can open her own dress shop to continue these services.
Throughout her life, Lowder also has been active in theater, singing and classical music. She knows preparing for the Miss Michigan Pageant is going to take a hard work, but she said she’s ready for the challenge.
“It’s going to be a long process, but it is one I am looking forward to,” she said.
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