Comments on: Miss America contestants: the judgement’s never over http://www.about-face.org/miss-america-contestants-the-judgements-never-over/ Wed, 05 Jun 2013 08:05:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Ashley http://www.about-face.org/miss-america-contestants-the-judgements-never-over/#comment-97227 Ashley Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:02:49 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=13846#comment-97227 I follow and compete in pageants and although I can understand your stance on how the media covers these pageants and how it's one certain body type that is being pushed and promoted as ideal, I have a different perspective on "pageants" as a whole. One being that not all pageants are the same. Miss USA and Miss America are the most prestigious out of the pageant world. There are hundreds of pageants where contestants of varying body types are competing and winning. I wish these pageants systems were more widely covered in the media. But they do exist. "there aren’t even more than ten women of color in the competition." Women of color rarely enter to begin with. In every pageant that I have either followed or competed in, there's usually 1 or 2 women of color for every 20 contestants (that's an estimation) that volunteer to sign up, before any eliminations are made. I've never heard of a pageant turning away contestants based on ethnicity, height, or weight. Really, they don't turn down anyone at all for entering. I follow and compete in pageants and although I can understand your stance on how the media covers these pageants and how it’s one certain body type that is being pushed and promoted as ideal, I have a different perspective on “pageants” as a whole.

One being that not all pageants are the same. Miss USA and Miss America are the most prestigious out of the pageant world. There are hundreds of pageants where contestants of varying body types are competing and winning. I wish these pageants systems were more widely covered in the media. But they do exist.

“there aren’t even more than ten women of color in the competition.”

Women of color rarely enter to begin with. In every pageant that I have either followed or competed in, there’s usually 1 or 2 women of color for every 20 contestants (that’s an estimation) that volunteer to sign up, before any eliminations are made. I’ve never heard of a pageant turning away contestants based on ethnicity, height, or weight. Really, they don’t turn down anyone at all for entering.

]]> By: Heather http://www.about-face.org/miss-america-contestants-the-judgements-never-over/#comment-95564 Heather Sun, 03 Feb 2013 12:26:41 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=13846#comment-95564 I would actually love to know the marketing strategy for this year since I just read that their "ratings soared" and were the highest they had been in nine years. On another note, one thing I also find myself conflicted over is the allowance of trans women to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. I am so grateful that they are being acknowledged as women and that just because they weren't born with the appropriate chromosomes, they will be barred from "women only" competitions. But I'm left wondering how good this is for females of any sex/identification since we're still reducing women to body parts to be rated and representative of a certain aesthetic. We are still playing value on appearance. Pageants will just never be a meritocracy. I'd love anyone's thoughts on this equality for transwomen, but the continuation of the beauty ideal and objectification. I would actually love to know the marketing strategy for this year since I just read that their “ratings soared” and were the highest they had been in nine years.

On another note, one thing I also find myself conflicted over is the allowance of trans women to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. I am so grateful that they are being acknowledged as women and that just because they weren’t born with the appropriate chromosomes, they will be barred from “women only” competitions. But I’m left wondering how good this is for females of any sex/identification since we’re still reducing women to body parts to be rated and representative of a certain aesthetic. We are still playing value on appearance. Pageants will just never be a meritocracy. I’d love anyone’s thoughts on this equality for transwomen, but the continuation of the beauty ideal and objectification.

]]> By: Heather http://www.about-face.org/miss-america-contestants-the-judgements-never-over/#comment-95559 Heather Sun, 03 Feb 2013 12:14:03 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=13846#comment-95559 Ugh. My gag reflex is tickled immediately when thinking about the utter regression of continuing to publicize these pageants and how they objectify women and reinforce a beauty ideal. I get it. Viewership has significantly waned in the past decade, so splashing tabloid magazines with these cookie cutter images (Larkin, you are spot on by saying that they all look the same!) is really just a weak attempt to engage and bait the public interest. All are disproportionately white and the same svelte size. The "causes" and "talent portion" are merely just fluff. They attempt to push the “Well rounded” descriptor, but fall so ridiculously short. A well rounded individual to me is one that has NOTHING to do with appearance or how effortlessly one can don the banal bikini bod. I would love to see the score sheets of one of these competitions. I am pretty certain that less than ¼ is dedicated to the merits of one’s character. Dog shows have more diversity than these pageants. Great piece! Ugh. My gag reflex is tickled immediately when thinking about the utter regression of continuing to publicize these pageants and how they objectify women and reinforce a beauty ideal. I get it. Viewership has significantly waned in the past decade, so splashing tabloid magazines with these cookie cutter images (Larkin, you are spot on by saying that they all look the same!) is really just a weak attempt to engage and bait the public interest. All are disproportionately white and the same svelte size. The “causes” and “talent portion” are merely just fluff. They attempt to push the “Well rounded” descriptor, but fall so ridiculously short. A well rounded individual to me is one that has NOTHING to do with appearance or how effortlessly one can don the banal bikini bod. I would love to see the score sheets of one of these competitions. I am pretty certain that less than ¼ is dedicated to the merits of one’s character. Dog shows have more diversity than these pageants. Great piece!

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