14 DAY TRIAL // Katrina Hodge is 22 years old and makes a living as a Corporal with the Royal Anglican regiment, having been awarded a medal for the bravery she displayed when she managed to disarm an Iraqi insurgent at the age of only 18. She also works as a part-time model and, as such, she is now the face of the latest campaign from the La Senza lingerie giant, which offers a considerable discount to all men and women in the Armed Forces, The Sun informs.
La Senza first noticed the beauty, who has been endearingly dubbed by her mates “Combat Barbie,” when she participated in the Miss England beauty pageant, where she came in second after Rachel Christie, the first black woman to ever win the title. The lingerie giant contacted her and she, of course, gladly accepted the offer, especially since she had full support from the army for it.
“I am enjoying the attention and profile but my job is still as an army soldier. I love the army life and if this encourages more women to join up then that would be brilliant. I’m so proud of this campaign and I really hope that it encourages other high street stores to offer discounts to men and women in the armed forces.” Hodge tells the British media of her decision to pose in the Senza underwear for the latest campaign.
In agreeing to do the campaign (photos from it are already in circulation in the media and on the Internet), Hodge has become yet another spokesperson for women all over, just like the reigning Miss England also is, it is being said. Rachel Christie, for instance, was saying a short while back, after winning the much-coveted tiara, that she refused to believe being black was an excuse for failure and that she was hoping other girls like her would see her example as one worthy of being followed. Pursuing one’s dreams and achieving whatever goals one set for oneself should never be dependent on race, Christie explained at the time.
“You hear black kids say: ‘I can’t do anything with my life. I live in a ghetto.’ I say: ‘Well, get off your backside and get out of it. Stop making your ethnicity an excuse.’ I want to show them you can do anything you want, whatever your color. I don’t like hearing: ‘I can’t do this or that because I’m black.’ They should stop behaving in a way that stereotypes them. If you come across as smart, if you dress nicely and speak well, it shouldn’t make a difference if you’re black or white. Maybe some people have experienced racial discrimination. Not me.” Christie said. At the same time, the beauty is also training to participate in the 2012 Olympics.