Meet Miss GB’s first pastor finalist who is tackling the stigma around female ministers and using her looks for good

A 39-year-old pastor who is the first Miss Great Britain finalist also to officiate at weddings and funerals is trying to “reduce the stigma” around female ministers.

And she wants to use her “pretty privilege” to help people as she believes “when people look at (her), they listen”.

Rachel-Yvonne McIntosh, from Rainham, Essex, became a pastor – a minister in charge of a Christian church – at NewLife Bibleway Church in London, at age 23, because it was something she “always wanted to do.”

In 2022, Rachel, who follows protestant Christianity, signed up for Miss Great Britain believing “God guided (her)” to do so, and that she was made beautiful for a “purpose”.

Rachel spoke about her faith in her interview process and on stage, but did not wear her collar as it is “not a costume to (her)”.

She has brought her Miss GB finalist sash into her church, to tell people about it and her charity work – although she thinks people in her church, and her family, may “question if it is appropriate”.

She attended the Miss GB final on October 20 2023, and although she did not win she thinks her experience has helped her have “more empathy” after meeting “all types of women”.

Rachel told PA Real Life: “Being the first pastor finalist, and first black pastor finalist, meant so much.

“It would show how far we have come, and help diminish preconceived notions about female pastors.

“I think some people think we’re serious, or can’t enter things like this.

“I entered to help reduce this stigma and help others, thanks to all of the philanthropy work pageantry promotes.

“I want to use my God-given beauty for purpose – why else would He have made me beautiful?”

Rachel became a pastor in 2008. She comes from a family of ministers and bishops, and follows Pentecostalism, a form of protestant Christianity which emphasises the work of the Holy Spirit and the direct experience of the presence of God by believers.

She said: “It had only been a few years since women were allowed to become ministers, and it had been something that I always wanted to do.

“I remember being seven or eight at church and telling stories about the Bible just felt so natural.

“As I got older, that feeling continued, and I wanted to help guide people.

“I’ve always been confident and people enjoy listening to me speak, so I thought ‘Why not?’”

Rachel explained her role: “I speak on a Sunday, do mid-week things like prayer meetings, teach Bible study, members can contact me at any time.

“We help people in need and hold food banks and things like that.

“I also do weddings and funerals.”

Throughout Rachel’s career she has loved helping others and in 2022 she decided to sign up for Miss Great Britain, to help minimise preconceived notions about female ministers, and help those in need.

She said: “I looked into Miss GB because I love history and the elegance of it all – I found out Miss GB was the oldest pageant in the UK.

“It’s been a year since I’ve been in the pageant world and it feels like the most natural thing.

“I want to use my pretty privilege in order to help people – when people look at me, they listen and donate money for cancer research, orphans, and things like that.

“I think God created beautiful people for a reason.”

Rachel did not shy away from her experience as a pastor in the competition, she said: “I explained that my core values are from my faith, and I believe that every woman is created with a purpose.

“Women in the pageant are all different sizes and shapes, are married, single and divorced – I’m here to spread that love and let people know that God loves them.

“In my interview, I spoke about being a Christian and how I’m involved in my church, how it guided me to being in the pageant in the first place, how I like to follow God’s voice.

“I also spoke about this on stage.

“I didn’t wear my collar – I didn’t think it was appropriate, it’s not a costume to me.”

Rachel explained how her time in pageants has also influenced her role as a pastor: “Everyone at church already knows I’m extra – I dress up even on a casual day.

“I think from doing pageants, I’ve got even more empathy for our community from meeting all types of women from all walks of life.

“I also have more of an awareness for charities because of the philanthropy work in pageants.”

On what people at Rachel’s church think, she said: “I’m not sure what they think – they may question if it is appropriate, especially when I wear a two-piece bikini on stage.

“But I want to use my beauty for purpose.

“I don’t juggle the two roles – I am one person, and I don’t like to separate the two aspects of my life.

“I even bring my sash to work sometimes to tell people about it, and the charity work that I’m doing.”

Rachel’s family were shocked at first that she had signed up for a pageant.

She explained: “My family has accepted that once I have an idea in my head, I’m going to do it, and they know I’m a very resilient person.

“I never do anything to offend anyone, but I’m also not going to coddle people. I am who I am.

“I think they also had some concerns about the swimwear rounds, or if I were to get a modelling contract after it, but I’ve tried to teach them, and others, that pageantry is about doing good.”

Rachel has also encouraged other Christians to join pageants, she said: “I get little girls come up to me asking if I can pray for them, and I get a lot of Christian women messaging me about my work, and how they feel encouraged that I’m there.”

Through her pageantry work, Rachel helped provide care packages for homeless women and has set up a campaign called Pretty Safe, to help combat violence against women.

She said: “Pageantry has given me a platform to elevate different causes.

“I want to use my voice in a positive way, to help others, and I’m hoping to launch a charity in January for my 40th off the back of this.

“I want women and girls to feel pretty and feel safe – when people say things like someone got sexually assaulted because they were wearing a miniskirt (it) is not the reason.

“Let’s help educate our boys and young men, and teach them not to over-sexualise women.

“I want people to see women as precious.”

Looking back on her experience, she said: “It’s taught me, and I want to help teach others, that pageantry isn’t anti-feminist.

“Pageantry is important for women, our confidence, our identity, as well as the amount of philanthropy work that we do.

“Some people think it’s archaic, sexist, anti-feminist, but honestly, it’s the exact opposite of those things.

“It really is the embodiment of celebrating and uplifting women.”

Rachel is now planning to enter next year’s Miss Great Britain, she said: “It would mean so much to do it again, and to be the first minister to win.”