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Student Opinion
Are Beauty Pageants Still Relevant?
What do competitions like the Miss Universe pageant celebrate? Do you think they have a place in today’s world?
By Shannon Doyne
Have you ever watched or participated in a beauty pageant?
What do you think of these events? Are they fun? Aspirational? Antiquated? Are they sexist? Or are they feminist? Are they none of these?
You are about to read about the Miss Universe competition, which has been around since 1952; another well-known competition, the Miss America pageant, started in 1921 . Why do you think these pageants have endured for so long? Do you think they are still relevant today?
In “ Miss Universe Succumbs to Gravity ,” Rhonda Garelick writes about the most recent competition, which took place on Jan. 14. She asks what role beauty pageants play in a time of global crisis, like the one we are living in:
Out of all beauty pageants, Miss Universe, which began in 1952, makes the boldest claim: that it can single out one person to represent an idealized vision of womanhood suitable for the entire world (or more grandly, the “universe”). On Saturday, R’Bonney Gabriel, Miss USA, was crowned the 71st Miss Universe, beating out 82 rivals in a three-hour Mardi Gras-themed extravaganza in New Orleans. By today’s standards, looking for a single ideal of beauty feels antiquated and unenlightened. This year, Miss Universe felt troubling for reasons beyond the objections one might have to scantily clad young women being assessed by so-called experts before an audience of millions. This year, no amount of glitter could distract us from the darker issues just beneath the surface, including climate destruction, human rights abuse, the 2022 suicide of Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019 (and a Miss Universe finalist that year), and, especially, Russia’s war against Ukraine. One of the stranger moments of the show happened when Viktoriia Apanasenko, Miss Ukraine, received the “Spirit of Carnival Award,” presented by Carnival Cruise Lines to the contestant who embodies “fun, friendship, diversity and inclusion.” Christine Duffy, the president of Carnival, lauded Ms. Apanasenko’s “mission to remind us that the war is ongoing.” A resort company was rewarding Miss Ukraine for fun, friendship and for reminding the world of war’s devastations. Stranger still was the “National Costume Show,” held three days before the main pageant. For this, contestants modeled comically outlandish outfits that hovered somewhere between Surrealism, ethnic stereotyping and Hollywood set design. Miss Belize honored her nation’s rain forest and jaguar reserve by bedecking herself with trailing jungle vegetation, a spotted cat-print leotard and what looked like a miniature jaguar’s head affixed to her lower abdomen. Miss Indonesia was a ship at sea, Miss Netherlands a jaunty Stroopwafel. Miss Guatemala turned into an entire pyramid temple; and Miss USA portrayed the 1969 NASA moon launch, in a 30-pound costume including a metallic spacesuit-style leotard, illuminated headdress and a 3-D replica of the moon hanging above her head.
In the end, Ms. Garelick argues, Miss Universe is about commerce:
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