The meaning of the term beauty is not confined to its dictionary definition. It is subjective and encompasses a spectrum of human perceptions. Therefore, it is fluid and keeps evolving in the community. Pageantry has taken the onus of representation and celebration of beauty in the society for a long period of time. Multiple women, even children and men, participate in these events, where they are assessed on various parameters like poise, confidence, intellect etc and a titleholder is selected amongst them. Beyond the prestigious crowns and large-scale spectacles of the fashion and glamour industry, pageants constitute an integral component of media influence on society. They are institutions that serve as launchpads for various causes, as cultural narrators and as systems impacting the general public, with certain assets and limitations.
With the first pageant being held as early as the 19th century, pageantry has become a pivotal industry in the show business. It has since developed and provided women with a platform to foray into many career fields like entrepreneurship, acting, modelling, advocacy etc. The contestants benefit from the visibility and the opportunities which help them to build a personal brand. Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra Jonas, is a notable example who has established herself as a global icon, known widely for her successful acting career and humanitarian endeavours. Other beauty queens with thriving professional identities include Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sushmita Sen, Gal Gadot to name a few. Many of the pageant women have also carved out a flourishing career in different fields of work. Examples include Former Miss USA Deshauna Barber who made history by being the 1st winner to serve in the US military. Miss World 1966, Reita Faria of India is a practicing doctor in Dublin, Ireland while Miss Universe Ireland Fionnghuala O’Reilly is also a NASA Datanaut and Director for the NASA Space Apps Challenge. The inclusion of charitable initiatives by many pageants have allowed women to champion a cause and develop leadership qualities. They are trained to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people ranging from the important executives to the underprivileged, which enables them to expand their professional network. However, the recent exit of Miss England from the Miss World 2025 pageant just before the finals, is a rebuttal to this idea. She stated that a false narrative of advocacy is presented to them and that they were exploited for entertainment purposes during the course of the competition, diluting the focus on the noble causes. It has also been observed that the selection of representatives for these ventures is not neutral. The sponsor- driven setup causes the organizations to support only those women as well as charity projects that benefit their brand and presentation requirements. Therefore pageants tend to privilege women who conform to a certain beauty ideal, which rules out the component of fairness from the platform. This sustains the notion of selective empowerment, wherein women are expected to contribute to the world, but within a carefully curated mould of aesthetics and morality. A noteworthy trend of entering the glamour industry has been observed among the pageant aspirants. This is because a vast majority of opportunities are in the fields of modelling, acting, beauty etc since they serve as marketing tools for these industries, which narrows the scope of a career in other areas after pageantry. Moreover, the visibility gained by the titleholder lasts only till the particular period of reign, after which the uncertainty regarding professional choices may prevail. The number of beauty queens that are able to secure a spot in the creme de la creme of the entertainment industry is also negligible, which highlights the limitations in scope even within the fashion space.
The emphasis on beauty has always conditioned the people in multiple ways. As an industry of significant value in the community, pageantry represents and reinforces many traditions. It therefore functions as the cultural narrator besides being a platform for career advancement. Numerous pageants include a segment where the ladies showcase their ethnicity through vivid acts and costumes. This leads to the celebration of the diversity in traditions among the contestants. Interaction with multiple women of varied heritages promotes understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultures. The history of pageantry has also witnessed the custom of widespread preference to the lighter skin tones. This had been modified with the inclusion of women with different skin tones to participate and fulfill their aspirations. Many women with darker skin tones have accomplished milestones as beauty queens.The victories of Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa and Miss World 2019 Toni Ann Singh of Jamaica marked a major historic moment as both the top international pageants were won by Black women. Thus attempts are being made towards erasing the prevalent colorism, which will subsequently break stereotypes around attractiveness. In the course of time, pageants have been evolving steadily to bring flexibility in the potrayal of beauty in the society. The biggest reform is the eligibility of married women to participate in the events. It is a major effort towards breaking free from the societal norms around the role of married women being confined to wives and mothers. The elimination of the swimsuit round in a few of the organizations reinforces change in the portrayal of the feminine physique, which is often according to the patriarchal imagery. Despite this attempt, pageantry is still reported to tailor its women according to the male lens. Colourism is still deeply rooted in the industry despite the reforms. A former pageant entrant from India goes on to state in an interview that the system is heavily managed by men which is ironic to an industry claiming empowerment of women. She also described that a male organizer criticized the supposedly round cheeks of her fellow contestant and continued to discuss her weight openly with others. The participants were also provided with swimsuits of the same size and instructed to adjust accordingly. These incidents become indicative of the expectations imposed on women to conform to the relentless beauty norms decided by the male-centric society. Moreover, this influences more expenditure by women on beauty and grooming products which encourages consumerism and cultural hegemony by promoting the Eurocentric beauty standards in the developing nations. Additionally, women from high socio-economic status who can afford these expenses get benefitted over others which subtly fosters class privelege. These cultural practices are also actively incorporated in pageants for children. Several young children become a part of these institutions which makes them prone to objectification and sexism. This is because they are groomed to look like adults. One such incident has been observed where a 4 year old girl had undergone modifications in her costume to resemble the body of a renowned actress. Such events cause mass acceptance of sexualization of young girls.
The endorsement of many customs by pageant committees has an extensive impact on the population. This industry is massively influential on the general audience. Women are groomed and trained to inculcate skills like resilience, perseverance, time management etc which provides a boost in their self-confidence. They undergo personal growth and learn to handle pressure with grace. Empowerment among women has been noticed by inclusion of candidates irrespective of their body shapes, skin colours and professions. The rigorous training schedules also build self-discipline. The contestants develop skills like poise and presence, communication, public speaking and teamwork which leads to prominent self development. The entrants also earn lifelong friendships with the fellow women. While pageants have integrated the promotion of intelligence and social advocacy, critiques persist regarding their focus on appearance. These women tend to face greater risks of being subjected to sexual abuse. According to a study in Colombia, beauty contests were the most widely employed means used by organized criminals like traffickers of luring young women into exploitative situations in the country. Besides, constant judgement and pressure of living up to a certain image of beauty pushes many women towards hazardous situations. They are prone to have low self esteem which may result in detrimental effects on their physiological and psychological well-being. Psychologists have revealed that these women may undergo body dysmorphia and tend to alter their diet to such dangerous extents that have driven many of them to the depths of anorexia and loss of menstrual cycle. The expectation of always looking their best and feeling joyous causes them to mask their feelings. This results in disrupted emotional regulation and they get inclined to unhealthy coping tendencies. Miss USA 2006, Tara Conner had admitted that she struggled with drug and alcohol dependency since she was a teenager. Excessive levels of stress can interfere with the normal daily functioning of these females including children. Studies that included comparisons of Body Mass Index between participants and non-participants of female childhood pageants have observed a noticeable pattern. Participants of childhood pageants scored greater on body dissatisfaction, interpersonal distrust and impulse dysregulation than the other group. Interviews of past queens have highlighted that the contestants have to bear expenses of transportation, meals, accommodation, outfits etc and it goes on increasing with successive phases of the contest. This causes significant financial drain on them and prolonged stress over fulfilling these money requirements. Miss Venezuela 1989 runner-up Patricia Velasquez has talked about her struggles with keeping up with the expenses, bringing the issue to light. Thus pageants seem to leave noticeable impressions on the people, in various aspects.
Young audiences, commonly girls, often grow up internalizing pageant ideals. The charm of the events and the titles lures many women. The extravaganza also inspires several ladies and tends to shape their ambitions. Since ages, humans have associated women with beauty. This notion has caged them into stereotypes. However, with the advent of pageants, girls have found liberty in being linked to beauty. The perspective of leading towards betterment of the people while being adorned in a tiara supports empowerment and refutes the labels being imposed on them. They tend to feel motivated to conquer the stage and give back to the community simultaneously. Scholars have noted that the entrants who grow up watching and idolizing pageants either get empowered through the system or get resented to its presentation focussed ethics. The strongly growing movement of feminism in the contemporary society questions and busts the patriarchal ideas presented by pageantry. This has increased awareness among the young minds and makes them capable of understanding the deeper implications of the practices of the system. Hence, the receptivity of pageants among women has greatly evolved over time.
The broader aspect of pageantry links it beyond just organizations of the fashion and glamour industry. They are systems of widespread authority in the modern world. The amendments made by pageants keeping in pace with the evolution of the society holds its relevance in the existing times. The potential growth of this system will be determined by the pace at which it evolves, to precisely represent the dynamic concept of beauty.
By: Harshita Dubey
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