December ended on a good note for India as 21 years old Harnaaz Sandhu became the third Indian woman to be crowned as Miss Universe, post-Sushmita Sen, and Lara Dutta. People were elated and why won’t they be? After all, a platform where women from across hundred countries take part and which is a coveted dream for many, Harnaaz Sandhu was the best amongst the rest and exemplified our country on the world stage where many aspire to be recognized.
Miss Universe or any other beauty pageants for that matter are conducted to celebrate women coming from a different cultural background and is considered an opportunity, worth a lifetime, which not only empowers women but also help them to realise their goals and build their self-confidence by "competing" against eighty or hundred women, seems pretty fair to all of us, isn't it? Before further discussing these beauty pageants and the so-called opportunity and exposure it gives to the women of today's era, I would just like to clarify two points making us all realise that whether beauty pageants are still pertinent in our society?
I feel concerned; knowing the dark world of these beauty pageants which are marketed to us in the name of 'women empowerment and 'upliftment', while blatantly ignoring the enormous damage done to female psych by prevailing idealised beauty myths.
While I was reading about Harnaaz being crowned as the Miss Universe, I couldn't help but notice how the media glorified how the pageant validated her battle against body shaming and bullying in her childhood and how she fought all these social evils, overcoming all the struggles and difficulties in her life and, finally proving herself by conquering the universe. According to most of us, it's an inspirational story, right? And why won't it be? I mean the way Harnaaz Sandhu had to put up with the anxieties, work on herself only because she was not suitable enough to be amongst her peers makes all of us in awe of her dedication and willingness to change herself. But this proves enough that in the end, what matters is that one needs to always fit in the society and align with the labyrinth norms of it. I have no issues with Harnaaz being given the most reputed title of Miss Universe or how she spent her life working for it and achieving it but rather I feel concerned; knowing the dark world of these beauty pageants which are marketed to us in the name of 'women empowerment and 'upliftment', while blatantly ignoring the enormous damage done to female psych by prevailing idealised beauty myths.
Source: instagram/manushi_chhillar
We are living in a world where we are fighting to normalise things around us, by being comfortable in our own skin, by not living a life of pretence yet, on the other hand, using words like 'choice' and 'opportunity' in the context of the massively marketed event which is backed up by leading cosmetic and couture brands, celebrating the fact that how a girl overcome her struggles by doing what the society expected from her and then slyly deep rooting the issues of body image, objectification and the universal beauty standards of having a smooth and spectacular body.
We are the leaders of our life and nobody can push us to do anything which doesn't make us comfortable. But then taking part in such an event where women are judged based on their ability to twirl, sashay and pout than the other women, and which retains the fact that women are meant to dress up and look pretty in the hope of people giving them a big round of applause or merely amusing them is conflicting.
When Harnaaz was asked what she would like to tell the girls of her age, she said that she wants all of us to believe in ourselves and that we are unique, we are the leaders of our life and nobody can push us to do anything which doesn't make us comfortable. But then taking part in such an event where women are judged based on their ability to twirl, sashay, and pout than the other women, and which retains the fact that women are meant to dress up and look pretty in the hope of people giving them a big round of applause or merely amusing them is conflicting from the answer she gave. As if the world didn't have enough casual sexism already, that we needed such pageants to augment the objectification of a female body.
Now most of us might bring up the "question round" in the context of this debate. Questions asked on significant world issues like hunger, climate, feminism, judges the intellect of the contestants and rather asses them not only based on their physical appearance but also their critical thinking, affirming that it's a talent show finding their one and only, 'beauty with brain'. However, agreed or not, but the majority of these questions are only sound bytes, expecting the contestants to create a utopian world when in reality, things just don't work that way.
I mean just imagine if all the financial resources and marketing strategies that were used to endorse these pageants were used in fighting for climate action or working towards zero hunger, thousands of lives would be crowned with the crown of dignity, satisfaction, and happiness.
Why in this case of Pushpika De Silva who is independently raising her child in a society where single parenting receives no motivation, she receives no support from the platform itself that is meant to appreciate women and their strengths?
Many people might think that these beauty pageants reinforce the spirits of feminism in our society. Regardless, there have been instances that fail to substantiate this statement. In 2021, during the Sri Lanka Mrs World pageant, the winner Pushpika De Silva, chosen by the panel was dethroned publicly by Mrs Caroline Jury who was the titleholder of Mrs World from Sri Lanka from last year, minutes after she was crowned. The reason is the "marital status" of the winner as according to her a 'divorcee' can't be crowned as the winner.
The Mrs. World contest states that an applicant should be married and above 18 years old. Moreover, she should not be a divorced woman. Nevertheless, Ms. De Silva asserted that she isn't a divorcee but she is living separately with her child. This incident not only physically harmed De Silva but also humiliated her in open public only because she did not meet the criteria of being a "Mrs. World!"
Okay, now one question for all those people who think that these pageants help women establish themselves, and is a representation of their choices; why in this case of Pushpika De Silva who is independently raising her child in a society where single parenting receives no motivation, she received no support from the platform itself that is meant to appreciate women and their strengths? Another disturbing fact is how for a woman to be crowned Mrs. World or Mrs. Sri Lanka for that matter, she should not only be beautiful, talented, and ambitious, but should also have her marriage intact, even if her partner is abusive or incompatible. Not to forget, the existence of a mere man to take part in the competition seems to take all the empowerment these competitions claim to give, away from the very women they should be giving it to. And to add the cherry on top, we are the same people who will agree when a woman says ''that you are unique, believe in yourself", nonetheless, ask a girl to apply skin whitening cream because apparently, she has a dark skin texture.
So does that mean that these beauty pageants are anti-ethical to feminism when feminist values clearly emphasise on "choices" of women? Additionally, how modern are these pageants despite the makeover they have received so far?
The real issue is that we celebrate wrong things and then label them as “empowering or a means of escape for us”. We feel that beauty pageants are a way to celebrate women and their abilities. Many women take part in these pageants because of the social situations they live in, so patently these contests are an opportunity for them. However, the real problem is not these beauty pageants, it is us. All of us encourage such events to take place.
The irony here is that we will cheer for a woman if she wears a swimsuit in the contest, yet we would let her down if she wears a dress in a public place. We are the same people who wouldn't respect a woman's opinion because 'women are not allowed to speak their mind', yet in this constructed reality of beauty pageants ask them questions on significant world issues. And to add the cherry on top, we ARE the same people who will agree when a woman says ''that you are unique, believe in yourself", nonetheless, ask a girl to apply skin whitening cream because apparently, she has a dark skin texture.
I am sick of these ludicrous inequalities and feigned support existing in our society. What we need to understand is that in an inherently patriarchal society, where many people are fighting for feministic views, such illustrations are red herrings. Yes, I agree that sometimes, or maybe the majority of times, beauty pageants are many women's way out towards freedom, but we need to make them even more inclusive and diverse. A woman being a divorcee should not stop her from achieving things, a woman being fat and not size zero should not dissuade her from taking part in these contests if she has a forte for modeling and a woman, who is not crowned as the Miss Universe or Mrs. World doesn't, at all, Imply that she can not change the world or do something for herself. Because she can! And Everybody can! And thus, it is time we rethink what beauty and fashion mean to us. It's time that we give women more real than skin-deep power!