Margaret Gardiner was only 18 years old when she became South Africa’s first Miss Universe in 1978. And it took 39 years for Demi-Leigh Nel Peters Tebow to follow suit and become the country’s second Miss Universe in 2017.

What many don’t know is that Gardiner is also a journalist and author. She has written two books on health and beauty and is the first to write her first novel, “Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar.”

A psychology graduate with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, Gardiner was inspired to write her first fiction book “for women who have been passed over, made to feel less than, or falsely accused of something.” She plans to write it as the first in a series of books about “good girls being kind, finding their voices and breaking barriers to be who they really are.”

We were able to interview Gardiner via email and she talked more about her inspiration for her first novel, what she hopes readers will learn from her book, what she learned from her journey writing the book, and more.

This is your third book and your first work of fiction. What made you decide to write fiction this time? What was the inspiration for this book? What were the other two books before it about?

My first two books were about the health and beauty industry. Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar came to me during COVID-19.

I had a friend who had mental health issues and believed she was harming herself. I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and advocated outreach counseling, but her family was against any psychological evaluation.

It got me thinking about how many people in the modeling and film industry struggle with mental health issues because of the pressure of being judged, portrayed as too old, too big, objectified, etc. The book is set in the modeling industry of the 1980s, before the #MeToo movement.

Cover of Margaret Gardiner’s first novel, Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar

What do you hope your readers will learn or take away from your book, “Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar”? What did you learn while writing this book?

I was reminded how important it is to me that people are treated fairly.

Women in particular don’t feel safe when boundaries are crossed. I hope that the things Joey is experiencing, the ways she is harming herself and her struggle to get clean and centered will spark conversations. Especially among women.

Women supporting women is one of the strongest bonds society has. If you’re feeling alone and overwhelmed, know that there are hotlines that can help you. These important topics are addressed against a backdrop of premieres, parties and power plays.

You have promoted the book worldwide. Can you please tell us where you have already promoted it and where you still plan to promote it? What has the response been so far?

I did the pre-launch in South Africa just a week ago – the response has been great. The character is challenging, but people still fall in love with her. She does wild things in wild environments, but she has a good heart and a broken heart. People don’t like her at first, but by the end they’re asking what happens to her in the book of the series.

I will also promote it in the US and UK. The book will be published in February 2025.

It has been 46 years since you were crowned the first Miss Universe from South Africa. Can you please recall the moment when you were crowned by the first black winner of the Miss Universe title and when you yourself broke barriers?

It meant so much to me. It represented optimism and change. Janelle and I became friends, although I haven’t seen her in a while since she doesn’t live in the US.

I was supposed to be modelling in Italy when it was announced that South Africa was going to host the first multi-ethnic beauty pageant. I was already established, so they asked me if I would think about promoting it. I postponed my work in Italy and entered. It was a very small competition. Three days. Not televised. I won. So I called and postponed my trip to Italy so I could compete for Miss Universe. Then I won and had to call Italy and say, “Sorry, I’m not coming at all.”

Margaret Gardiner with Catriona Gray. Photo contributed

It was a great honor to become Miss Universe. I was only 18. It gave me the chance to encourage women to speak up and show that beauty is something that comes from within.

Being still part of the Miss Universe community is one of the greatest joys of my life. I am so grateful to the organization.

It took 39 years for Demi-Leigh Nel Peters Tebow to become the second Miss Universe from South Africa in 2017. What lessons did you learn from participating in the Miss Universe pageant and what advice would you give to aspiring candidates?

Everyone is beautiful. If you think beauty is all you need, then this may be a challenge for you.

Eloquence. The ability to think quickly. Knowledge of different topics. Inclusion. Having a platform. These are equally important.

At Miss Universe, I learned that people are people. Others may try to use differences to divide, but when we connect as people, we are all equal. It is also very important to me that the winners reflect this diversity.

I am a woman from Africa. I have an African mindset. I seek connection. Excellence. Hard work. Collaboration.

I look for like-minded people and feel drawn to the generous in every group. Hardworking and successful, yes, but equality and inclusion as a lived practice.

I would like to say that it makes me very sad that I have never had the good fortune to travel to the Philippines. You and Ruben (Nepales) are people I admire. Filipino designers are world class. I find South Africans and Filipinos have a lot of similarities and hope to travel there one day.

Margaret Gardiner modeled for Filipino fashion designer Oliver Tolentino during Los Angeles Fashion Week. Photo contributed

You will receive the “World Woman Leader in Media” award in Greece on September 18. Why is this award so special to you?

We often think of leaders as heads of industries or organizations. But women lead every day in every way. Their leadership role within the family shapes the way society functions for the children we raise to be the leaders of tomorrow.

I also helped launch Women in Entertainment for the Golden Globes, which showcases DEI behind the camera. This is a topic that is very important to me. Everyone should have a seat at the table or the opportunity to join if they want to.

The book will be released in 2025 and is available for pre-order now on Amazon. Would you like to share any further details about the release or the book?

My book, Damaged Beauty: Joey Superstar, will be released on February 10, 2025. It will be available worldwide through Amazon Books, initially in the US, then in South Africa in March and in the UK in April.

My hope is that this will bring taboo topics and the things that happen to women in secret to the light where we can heal and find healthy coping strategies to prevent emotional, psychological and physical harm.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News