Beauty pageants have been a part of the popular culture for a while now, prancing out the idea that physical beauty is equated with merit and success. In flashy costumes with meticulously choreographed routines, competitions have dazzlingly entertained audiences through decades. But beneath the sequined gowns and bright smiles lies a much darker reality. To many, beauty pageants reinforce hurtful stereotypes and unhealthy standards that perpetuate woman objectification.
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This paper will discuss reasons why the beauty pageants are detrimental to society and provide further discussions on the negative impacts of such pageants. We also provide effective ways through which we can promote healthier and more empowering standards of beauty.
The History of Beauty Pageants: A Legacy of Harm
Beauty pageants originated in the late 19th century. While they were created originally to show off physical beauty, they have evolved to include other facets of the contestants, such as talent and interview segments. All the same, the bottom line remains that they promote the notion that outer appearance is what matters most.
It's basically an abomination to have such a thing as a "beauty queen", as it justifies some obsolete thinking that women should be valued for their looks above all. Some would argue that at least the pageants have become more inclusive, more diversified, but basically, the physical beauty of contestants competing is still a core factor. This fact could be especially damaging in a world that faces huge pressures from society over what they should look like: being a woman or being a young girl.
1. Beauty Pageants Promote Unrealistic Standards of Beauty
Probably the most important reason why beauty pageants are bad is that they encourage impossible-to-achieve standards of beauty. Contestants in such competitions often get judged by traditional standards of beauty like slender bodies, symmetric features, and flawless hair and makeup. While modern pageants may make an appeal for a difference, that fact has largely remained physical.
In fact, for many women and young girls, these are the minimum requirements for much pressure in life to fit into this narrow ideal of beauty. It indeed has a ripple effect:
Body Image Issues: There has been relentless emphasis on thinness, flawless skin, and features of faces, which at times leads to body dissatisfaction and unhealthy relationships with food and exercise.
Low Self-Esteem: When women juxtapose their figures with that of pageant contestants and find themselves wanting, it hurts a woman's confidence level and her self-esteem.
Increased Rates of Cosmetic Surgery: The race for the "perfect look" has led to an alarming rise in the numbers of cosmetic surgeries, as many women alter their looks to satisfy what society has termed as the standards of beauty.
Example: Miss Universe and Weight Criticism
Even prestigious beauty contests like Miss Universe have not been spared from controversy. For many years, the contestants within the pageant have faced the brutal public scrutiny in the form of weight pressure that oftentimes makes women feel that unless they are svelte, they will never be regarded as "beautiful."
2. Objectification and Commodity of Women
By their very nature, beauty pageants objectify women. Contestants are most of the time paraded in swimsuits and evening gowns; this is a practice that invites an audience and judges to judge them based on their physical looks. While some pageants may include talent or intelligence-based segments, often these take a back seat to the main visual spectacle of the event.
One objectionable issue with this objectification is multifaceted:
Reinforcing Gender Roles: Beauty pageants revolve around the idea that a woman's worth is mainly based on her good looks and might depict gender roles as unprogressive in nature.
Sexualization of Women: The emphasis on physical aspects, especially with the swimsuit portions, might take part in the sexualization of women. This results in the poorest possible message to girls at a vulnerable age-that their bodies are to be consumed and publicly rated.
Damaging to Gender Equality: In placing further emphasis on a female's physical appearance rather than her accomplishments or character, pageants perpetuate and reinforce the concept that a woman's most valuable commodity is physical beauty.
Example: Miss America Swimsuit Controversy
In 2018, Miss America dropped their swimsuit competition segment as an effort toward the de-emphasization of appearance. Though it seems like a good move in the right direction, it just goes to show how deeply entrenched the problem is until today; women in one of the world's most famous beauty competitions are still being judged on their bodies.
3. The Impact on Mental Health
Beauty pageants may also lead to devastating effects on the mental health of participants. The constant pressure to look perfect, meet standards, and face judgment both in public and by the judges may take a higher toll.
Anxiety and Depression: Contestants may hold way too much anxiety about their looks and performance, especially if they feel they don't measure up to the competition. Such fear of failure or feeling "good enough" contributes toward depression.
Eating Disorders: This emphasis on body type has been linked to the Pageant contestants developing eating disorders, particularly younger ones.
Perfectionism: In pageants, the majority of their females establish a perfectionist attitude; striving relentlessly for an ideal that is unreachable. Continuous dissatisfaction would, in this regard, ultimately give birth to burnout. Example: Pressures Placed on Pageant Contestants
A number of former beauty queens have spoken up about the tremendous pressure they felt in the pageant world. Many talked about how they had struggled with eating disorders, anxiety, and esteem issues, which they blamed the pageant industry for cultivating.
4. Lack of Diversity and Inclusion
Indeed, many of these pageants claim progress but are still without representation and inclusion. While some have opened their arms to more racial and ethnic diversity, very few are inclusive of different body types, abilities, and gender identities. The industry remains focused on one particular kind of beauty.
Underrepresentation of Women of Color: Despite some notable exceptions, women of color remain underrepresented in most major beauty pageants.
Lack of Body Diversity: Although a few pageants have taken a step in the right direction towards body positivity, most winners still fell within the traditional body standards. Most plus-size women, women with disabilities, and the ones that simply do not fit in with the stereotype of what makes a "beauty queen" are shunned.
Example: The Push for Change
In the last couple of years, #BodyPositivity and #InclusiveBeauty movements have demanded greater representation across all tiers of the beauty world, pageants included. But real progress is slow in coming, with a lot of organizations just yet unwilling to fully accept a diversified notion of beauty.
Actionable Tips to Encourage Positive Beauty Standards
It's time to retire the old beauty pageant notion and introduce healthier, more inclusive standards of beauty into the world. Here's how we can do it:
1. Celebrate Diversity in All Forms
Encourage media, brands, and influencers to represent diverse beauty: different body types, skin color, age, and abilities. Diversity is not a trend, but rather one of the ways toward equality.
2. Focus on Inner Qualities
Shift the conversation from physical appearance to qualities like kindness, intelligence, creativity, and strength. In valuing inner beauty, we build a more gentle and inclusive society.
3. Support Body Positivity Initiatives
Take part in body positivity movements-demonstrate and demand that all women, regardless of size and shape, be represented. Attend events and take part in social media and other forms of campaigns to support brands championing inclusivity.
4. Pushback on Damaging Media Narratives
Speak out against all media that promotes destructive beauty ideals or stereotyping. Expect better and more accurate representations of women from advertising, film, and TV.
Conclusion: Let's Change the Way We Think About Beauty
Beauty pageants have molded the perception of our society about beauty, but it has become intolerable. Some of the reasons these contests contribute to an appearance-obsessed culture include unrealistic standards promoted, objectification of women, damaging mental health, and exclusion of diversity.
We need to rethink the notion that beauty is something that can be evaluated and judged and move toward a more inclusive and empowering definition of beauty that values women based on who they are, not on their appearance.
Don’t miss out on this enlightening journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there not anything positive from beauty pageants?
Whereas some contestants do gain a little confidence or scholarships, the big picture painted by beauty pageants tends to be one of poor beauty standards.
2. Can't beauty pageants just be reformed to be more inclusive?
Yes, but with a fundamental change in emphasis away from outer form and structure to inner qualities, talent, and intelligence.
3. How do beauty pageants influence young girls?
Beauty pageants can be very destructive to young girls in the way of body images and low self-esteem for those who feel pressure to live up to impossible-to-reach standards of beauty.
4. Are there alternatives to beauty pageants?
Yes, there are plenty of empowering events that celebrate women's achievements, talents, and inner qualities, not women's appearance.
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