The Flawed Concept of Beauty Pageants
In a world where feminists are trying to topple centuries of patriarchy in the form of inequality and discrimination, beauty pageants continue to remain steady advocates of this atrocity.
Women have been subjected to discrimination based on physical attributes since times immemorial, some of the earliest records dating back to the Greek civilisation. In the last few decades some of these pageants have included personality, talents, intelligence, humour etc to the existing criteria which is entirely superficial in nature.
The big four in the world of beauty pageantry- Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth have been in existence for a little over half a century with the exception of Miss Earth which was started in 2001.
Winners of these pageants are expected to conduct social work and increase awareness about various social issues following their win. The contest serves as a forum to aid the global community via its charitable endeavours. However, these pageants have also failed to increase their judgement criteria beyond physical beauty.
History of These Pageants
Over the years the format of the big four has been altered in some aspects to make it more inclusive but the winners have continued to remain women who meet the conventional standards of beauty. As the cosmetic industry thrived and grew, the obsession with inane beauty standards kept reaching a new unattainable limits.
Over the years the format of the big four has been altered in some aspects to make it more inclusive but the winners have continued to remain women who meet the conventional standards of beauty. As the cosmetic industry thrived and grew, the obsession with inane beauty standards kept reaching a new unattainable limits.
Beauty treatments, surgeries and crash diets have become a necessity for women who choose to make this a viable career.
The problem isn’t in the existence of the pageant but what it chooses to represent, beauty, at an extremely superficial level. Aspirants spend years grooming themselves in the hopes of winning these beauty contests which are incentivised with respect, reputation, the crown, cash prices and immense acclaim in the entertainment industry.
In India where literacy rates are low and the economic divide is tremendous, women belonging to the marginalised sections of the society are eliminated from the competition even before they can aspire to win. Elimination based on age, marital status, weight and height further restrict the range of participants.
Beauty pageants for men has gained momentum in the past few decades. Much like women these male participants are subjected to unreal beauty standards wherein their existence and identity is defined by the curve of his abs. They’re moulded into ‘ideal’ body types and stereotypical portrayals of men who advocate the toxic male culture in the country.
Where Lies The Problem?
This vigorous attention to physical attributes and complete disregard for the inhuman standards being set for the common man leads to an ever-widening bridge between the reality and its portrayal in these pageants.
Transgender individuals continue to lack representation in the big four beauty pageants even today when the world is waging wars to fight for their equality.
Previously their participation in state level pageants was considered an anomaly and, in most cases, banned while their wins are rare exceptions but in the last decade more countries are opening up their beauty industry for transwomen who aspire to become fashion icons.
Pageants are slowly becoming platforms of conversation about trans-lives where more men and women are sharing their inspiring stories to aid the transition of others undertaking similar journeys.
The Real Behind the Reel
The Real Behind the Reel
Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, anorexia and bulimia are the realities behind the glitz and glamour of the pageantry. Participants are starved and put on mindless diets to meet the conservative standards of ideal body types which often result in crash diets and eating disorders.
The gruelling selection process, the fear of rejection and the subjective nature of these contests often cause trauma among the young participants. Racism, fat shaming, bullying etc are considered some of the lesser evils of the pageant industry.
These pageants are a celebration of men and women only for their physical endowments and beauty which is a contradiction to the need for equality within the nation. Beauty pageants fail to represent beauty is its myriad forms and choose to portray gender as a binary construct.
Is it About Time We Change The Format?
Instead of being crusaders of inequality, the pageants can be utilized as a medium to promote a healthy lifestyle which is inclusive of individuals of all shapes, orientations, sizes and personalities. Miss Earth is an example of a pageant which promotes action towards climate, participants become ambassadors of the cause and influence their peers to follow their lead.
Instead of applauding fake beauty standards, pageants can increase their horizons and represent change makers in a global perspective. Equality, climate change, political and legal representation as well as a stage for diverse interests and conversations could be the new face of pageants where participants are ambassadors of social causes that’s personal to them.
As we strife to make the world, home to people of every kind irrespective of their choices, beauty as pageants perceive it needs to be eradicated completely to attain the world we deserve.
Written by - Kanchana Chakravarty
Edited by - Isha Singh
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