Global Beauty PageantsBeauty pageants have increased in number across the world. According to Colin Blakemore and Shelia Jennett, writers for Beauty Pageants Encyclopedia, “today the International Register of Pageants lists more than 3000 pageants worldwide.” 5 The four big international beauty pageants are Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International, and Miss Earth.
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But there are more to pageants than just the work of women demonstrated on stage, it’s beyond the money and advertisements. Beauty pageants have been linked to have psychological and health issues on women. According to an article ‘10 Beauty Pageant Controversies That Stirred The World’ written by Pranay Das, “During her reign as Miss Universe, Machado made headlines when it was reported that she gained too much weight and the Miss Universe Organization was considering replacing her with her runner-up, Taryn Mansell of Aruba”.6 Pageants go beyond a contestant's knowledge and talents and focus on the aspects that make a person ‘beautiful’ externally, this is one of many issues that are encountered with beauty pageants. In addition to that “[In] 2012 – Controversy arose when transgender contestant, Jenna Talackova was disqualified from the competition on the grounds of not being a “naturally born female”.6 Here is where get a glance of the bigger picture, women are excluded from opportunities like these because of who they are and what they believe in. This cultural separation can cause a person from feeling ‘unfit’ or ‘unnormornal’ to a society, causing them to think that they are less.
On September 17, 2013 “The Senate [of France] adopted the bill by 196 votes to 146 on Tuesday evening.”7 Controversy arose when FrenchVogue published a photo on December of 2010, of a 10-year-old French girl, Thylane Loubry Blondeau, wearing a tight dress, jewellery, high heels and make-up, the photos began to receive public attention and it sparked international outrage. 8
The ban was to have the concept of letting children grow up for themselves, when parents sign their children for these events they don’t necessarily let them enjoy their childhood and understand what being a child is. Young girls are penetrated with thoughts of what ‘beauty’ should look like and how a ‘woman’ should act. “Organizers of such pageants may face a jail term of up to two years and a fine of 30,000 euros (£25,000; $40,000)” if they are caught organizing child beauty pageants. Russia,like France, is also moving towards banning child beauty pageants, “Russian MPs have proposed a ban on child beauty pageants, which could lead to tough fines for parents or guardians who allow their children to participate.” Understanding the health issues that are brought upon these pageants, “The United Russia party and Liberal Democratic party, who submitted the bill to the Lower House last week, have said the contests harm children psychologically, physically and intellectually.” |