Beauty pageants are contests that have been held in almost all the countries of the world for a long time, where participants demonstrate their talents and, first of all, beauty. Their popularity can be explained by the fact that these pageants entertain viewers who cheer for their compatriots. Besides, such events bring rather good profits to their organizers; such competitions are a success, and the world contest “Miss Universe” generally has high ratings. A beauty pageant is quite a good start for those girls who want to make a decent career and become famous, and one of the efficient ways to achieve it is to work hard.
Beauty Pageants and Their Popularity
Beauty pageants are contests, where young girls compete with one another for the right to be called the most beautiful. Their reputation has long been proved, and viewers have always enjoyed watching such shows. Despite Bos and Schneider note that beauty may be called the most effective women’s currency, it is not the only criterion that plays an important role (102). Women have a talent competition too during beauty pageants, and their skills are also valuable and worth considering. Furthermore, a variety of tasks attracts more viewers, and these programs are watched by many people. Organizers have learned how to profit from it; therefore, the implementation of such contests in the world of show business with a high probability can be regarded as an favorable decision.
This rapid development of television broadcasting has led to the emergence of beauty pageants in almost every more or less developed country. Cohen notes that the influence of global trends and the popularity of such competitions in the world gave impetus to their development, for example, in the Caribbean (697). Besides, viewers like to watch beauties for one more reason. When a particular girl wins at her homeland, she receives an opportunity to represent her country at the international level, and such events, as a rule, can not but attract everyone’s attention.
Importance of Beauty Pageants to the World and for the Individual
The world importance of beauty pageants can be somewhat deeper than it may look at a glance. According to Gimlin, such terms as beauty and democracy are of global nature and are practically homogeneous from a particular point of view (148). Moreover, the participation of girls of all the races and nationalities in these contests erases borders between states and excludes racism and any other prejudices regarding particular social, religious or political principles (Roberts 202).
Perhaps, the performance of such a format is equally important for participants themselves. When a girl gains universal recognition, it necessarily affects her self-confidence and helps to understand that beauty is not the only way to achieve high goals. After all, competitions at any level mean not only defile on the podium but also intellectual rivalry, which in its way gives an opportunity to self-develop. Therefore, any girl or an adult woman should be more aware that achieving a high result depends directly on diligence and the pursuit of success.
Physical and Psychological Benefits of Beauty Pageants
For a particular girl participating in a beauty pageant means hard work on herself. Hinojosa and Carle even note that world contests are somewhat a women’s way to power, which is achieved through self-development (24). Participation motivates young girls to self-improvement, both externally and internally. Beauty contests also carry practical benefits as they help the male sex evaluate the strength and attractiveness of female beauty (Jeffreys 7). Therefore, there are certainly advantages of holding such events.
Thus, a beauty pageant is a good start for those girls who want to make a decent career and gain recognition. The key moment here is not to forget to work on oneself and continually develop skills and talents that can help in achieving victory. In this case, not only participants themselves but also the audience will be able to enjoy the success of the work done.
Works Cited
Bos, Angela L., and Schneider, Monica C., editors. The Political Psychology of Women in U.S. Politics, Routledge, 2016.
Cohen, Colleen. “BVI Barbie: Materializing Subjectivity on the Beauty Pageant Stage.” Anthropological Quarterly, vol. 89, no. 3, 2016, pp. 689-721.
Gimlin, Debra. “Exploring the Glocal Flow of Beauty.” European Glocalization in Global Context, edited by Roland Robertson, Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2014, pp. 147-170.
Hinojosa, Magda, and Carle, Jill. “From Miss World to World Leader: Beauty Queens, Paths to Power, and Political Representations.” Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, vol. 37, no. 1, 2016, pp. 24-46.
Jeffreys, Sheila. Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices in the West. 2nd ed., Routledge, 2014.
Roberts, Blain. Pageants, Parlors, and Pretty Women: Race and Beauty in the Twentieth-Century South. University of North Carolina Press, 2014.