Beauty pageants have been criticised for objectifying women. The contests set unrealistic standards of beauty and impose them on young girls, causing them to internalise self-depreciating beliefs that can lead to eating disorders, depression and other issues. This is especially damaging in the predominantly patriarchal world we live in, as women are more likely to be subjected to discrimination based on their appearance than men.
It is important to remember that beauty is a subjective concept. It is the unique thoughts, talents and perceptions that make a person beautiful rather than the external existence. But despite that, there are some who believe that beauty pageants are not harmful and are actually a good way to promote female empowerment.
The reality is, that beauty pageants are a harmful and outdated industry. Often, they perpetuate eurocentric beauty standards that are unachievable in real-life settings. For example, housewives and working mothers with unkempt hair and sweaty clothes are often excluded from the “beautiful” bracket.
In addition, beauty pageants have been linked to a variety of social problems, from obesity to domestic violence and even sexual harassment. In the era of #MeToo, it is time to stop this charade.
Fortunately, there are some films that deconstruct the myths of beauty pageants, like 1974’s Drop Dead Gorgeous and 2000’s Miss Congeniality, both of which portray beauty queens who have other facets to their personality and aren’t just prancing around on stage in bikinis. But these are rare occurrences. Most movies and TV shows depict beauty pageants as sexist cattle shows, judging women solely on their physical existence.
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