Bullied as a child, Sudbury woman competes for Maxim Cover Girl title

Laurentian University mining engineering student Caitlin Baier says the competition has helped her overcome years of body-image struggles

Article content Caitlin Baier was bullied as a child, so the idea of seeing her face on the cover of a magazine still seems a little overwhelming Baier, competing in the 2026 Maxim Cover Girl competition (covergirl.maxim.com), said winning would allow her to reconcile with her past, while supporting others through body image issues. Recommended Videos Baier was bullied throughout elementary school. “I decided to enter this competition for myself and for other people, like younger women.

I grew up in Haileybury and I was bullied from Kindergarten all the way until the eighth grade, until I moved here,” she said. The situation grew increasingly severe, and Baier admits at one point that she contemplated suicide. “I didn’t like the way my body looked.

I didn’t like anything about me at all. It got really, really bad,” she said in an interview. “I moved here, and then in high school, I wasn’t bullied because I had a fresh start; however, I still had those constant body issues.”

Acknowledging she was “very insecure” with her body, Baier said that for a time, she engaged in self-harming activities. Baier also suffered through anorexia, but said she “started over” in Grade 12, while living in Greater Sudbury and attending École secondaire Macdonald-Cartier. With the advent of university looming ever closer, her perspective started to shift.

She said this year, as a freshman at Laurentian University, she finally learned to like herself and began to see herself the way others view her. “This year, mostly, I finally started having more confidence in myself,” Baier said. “Being able to do this also (gave me) confidence, because it’s telling me those body image issues I have in my mind don’t always present themselves — yes, they’re in there

and I know they’re in there; however, doing this really put my perspective out there to be like, ‘okay, you have to push those thoughts to the back of your mind because you might think you look like that, when actually you don’t. You look way better’.” The 18-year-old is a mining engineering student at LU.

While her academic sights are set on the science of rock, she said if she won, she would happily pursue modelling. “Yes, I am studying to be a mining engineer, but just because I’m studying to be that, doesn’t mean I can’t do modelling as well. I could always do both at the same time,” she said.

“If I have that opportunity (to model), I’m willing to take that opportunity.” As Baier explained, the global competition “helps young people, or anyone really, who wants to become a model and doesn’t really know how to take that step. It’s something to take that step, as well as it helps you get into that world.”

The booty for this competition is quite generous. In addition to starring in a Maxim cover model photoshoot, the winner will receive a $100,000 cash prize; a trip to Italy that includes a photoshoot in Venice; and a donation of $5,000 to the charity of her choice. Baier has chosen the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“Breast cancer is close to my heart because I know many people who have either lost their lives to it or bravely overcome it,” she said. Baier said if she wins, she plans to take her mother with her to Venice. “She’s been amazing.

She’s always been there for me. I would definitely take her in a heartbeat if she wants to go,” she said. “She’s very proud of me.

She will post every day, writing ‘don’t forget to vote for her,’ and doing all this stuff to support me. It’s honestly great. My grandma as well — she’s not very tech-savvy, but she tries her best.

My boyfriend also votes for me every day, and he’s very supportive of it as well, and he’s honestly great, too.” Launched in April, the competition has been whittled down to just eight competitors and needs the votes to win. In addition to standing up for herself and others with body image challenges, Baier said she would be pleased to represent Northern Ontario.

“It’s a great community up here, and it’s great to be up in the north. You still get to do all these sports that are a lot of fun, and I love them,” she said. “And everyone is just so nice; everyone knows everyone up here, and it’s great.”

Vote for Baier — at least once daily — at tinyurl.com/53u6s68w. BlueSky: @mkkeown.bsky.social Facebook: @mkkeown