Victoria Gracie
Height: 5’8
Hometown: Mississauga, ON
Sponsors: Friends & Family
Victoria Gracie, a gracious body-positive advocate and neuroscientific researcher, is the embodiment of a leader and changemaker. As someone who has lived experience with body dysmorphia, she is driven to be the change that young women need. Her clinical neuroscience laboratory seeks to understand the neurological effects of body image disturbances, her specific focus is body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). To further her work in academia, she is currently completing her Honours Bachelor of Science at the University of Toronto with a double specialist in Psychology and Exceptionality in Human Learning. Additionally, Victoria has completed a Neuroscience and Neuroimaging specialization from Johns Hopkins University. She is also the co-chair of a research advisory committee on BDD and Anorexia Nervosa at CAMH, the founder of two nonprofit organizations, an empirical peer reviewer for the Journal of Scientific Innovation, and the author of a Barnes and Noble poetry book. Through her work in body-inclusive activism, she has landed on the covers of PUMP Magazine and La Dolce Magazine, and has been published in many more; reaching a global impact with her message of inclusivity.
Victoria’s presence in the body-positive movement started at the age of 15; after being told that she was too big to be taken seriously as a ballet dancer by her studio director and struggling for years with her body image, she decided to create her own path. She became the first Canadian to perform as an independent soloist with her own choreography at the world’s largest scholarship ballet competition, Youth America Grand Prix.
In addition to her work in academia, Victoria is involved with various organizations to further her mission. She is an associate of the American Psychological Association (member of division 40; Clinical Neuropsychology), the Canadian Psychological Association (member of the section in Clinical Neuropsychology), as well as a volunteer with the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, the International OCD Foundation (BDD SIG), the SeekHer Foundation (Advocacy Council), and many more. She has traveled to over 25 countries and has embraced cultural diversity alongside her work in body positivity.
Victoria joined pageantry to become the woman she wished she had seen in pageants growing up. Given her leadership, grace, academic background, and ability to be the face of a growing movement, Victoria exemplifies the perfect Miss International Canada titleholder: an elegant woman of intelligence and compassion.