Banning of swimsuit round in beauty pageants: Much needed move by # MissAmerica pageant
The world over these days, beauty contests for women are pretending to be contests for judging the overall personality of the contestant, not just external appearance and vital statistics. If that is the case, then why do they have the rather blatantly-titillating swimsuit round, may I ask?
I failed to understand the double standards of these contests, and also of winners (think our local Aishwarya Rai or Priyanka Chopra) who seem be deep thinkers on world issues, judging by their answers. Why don't they think twice about objectifying themselves in swimwear?
Now at last, a contest has indeed put it's money where it's mouth is...and has scrapped the swimsuit and evening gown rounds. The # MissAmerica pageant has taken this bold initiative, thus veering from the traditional sexist format of beauty pageants to a more progressive, inclusive structure. The explanation given for this radical move is equally heartwarming. They have acknowledged the inherent sexism in these rounds, and have vowed to judge contestants on more intelligence and personality based criteria.
I do hope our desi beauty contests will follow suit, and soon we will have Indian pageants without the swimsuit round. It's about time women are judged for things other than being of perfect shape or size. A woman has infinitely more to her personality. A brain, a heart, behaviour, attitude, inter-personal warmth, emotional intelligence, these can be the criteria for judging both men and women.
After all, the women who have made an impact over the centuries, have not been the best looking or those with perfect figures; they have been those with great brains, hearts and personalities.
- If a lady is not being judged for her vital statistics, then why is she made to strut around in a teeny-weenie bikini, and pose with a pout for the judges and cameras?
- Why does it matter whether she stuns the audience in a strapless figure-hugging evening gown, balancing herself on inch-long stilettos, or not?
- If her final answer is what determines whether she ultimately wins the title or not, then why the rigmarole of parading her in various kinds of provocative clothing?
I failed to understand the double standards of these contests, and also of winners (think our local Aishwarya Rai or Priyanka Chopra) who seem be deep thinkers on world issues, judging by their answers. Why don't they think twice about objectifying themselves in swimwear?
Now at last, a contest has indeed put it's money where it's mouth is...and has scrapped the swimsuit and evening gown rounds. The # MissAmerica pageant has taken this bold initiative, thus veering from the traditional sexist format of beauty pageants to a more progressive, inclusive structure. The explanation given for this radical move is equally heartwarming. They have acknowledged the inherent sexism in these rounds, and have vowed to judge contestants on more intelligence and personality based criteria.
I do hope our desi beauty contests will follow suit, and soon we will have Indian pageants without the swimsuit round. It's about time women are judged for things other than being of perfect shape or size. A woman has infinitely more to her personality. A brain, a heart, behaviour, attitude, inter-personal warmth, emotional intelligence, these can be the criteria for judging both men and women.
After all, the women who have made an impact over the centuries, have not been the best looking or those with perfect figures; they have been those with great brains, hearts and personalities.
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