Decriminalization Of Beauty Pageants

Originated in 1951, the Miss World competition had once attracted up to 3 billion viewers in 115 countries. Despite the widespread popularity of beauty contests, extensive controversies about their impacts come along. Following the rising number cosmetic surgery accidents and slimming tragedies, researchers (Haas, C.F., Champion, A. & Secor, D., 2008) have pointed to the mass media as the root of "overly-idealistic standards of beauty". Critics have questioned the purpose of such an event and even called for a ban of the event, claiming that beauty contests distort the value of humankind (Blowers, L.C. ,2003) and that such events lower the body satisfaction and self-esteem of adolescents (Dohnt, H., & Tiggemann, M., 2006). It is commonplace for people to associate beauty contests with "value distortion" and "overemphasis of beauty", but we should not …show more content…
During beauty contests, contestants go through serious training and preparation, including upskilling themselves to show their talent, scrutinizing over about their gestures and practicing how they are going to present themselves in the most confident way. If one wins a beauty contest, it doesn't mean that she "has the most desirable body features", it means that she showcased herself in a way that is most desirable to others. Thus, beauty contests are just events where contestants try their best to magnify and showcase their personal qualities. It is a comparison to see who can do certain things the best. If we do this all the time in competitive sports, there is no reason to say that women can't do the same in beauty contests. We recognize that the ability to run quickly do not imply our self-worth, but we can still award medals to the fastest runners. Similarly, we can crown a woman who presented herself in the most desirable way without implying that beauty is everything that