Are beauty pageants demeaning to women?
Sure they are. I know that grown women make their own choices to compete, but they affect the rest of us, too. Like most fashion magazines, they promote an ideal that most women cannot achieve. They are judged and awarded for their beauty, which should never be a factor of someone’s worth or self worth. It is hard to teach our daughters that looks are not important and to except themselves with all the information overload of superficial appearance. My daughter is very pretty, and I try so hard to impress upon her that intelligence and compassion are far more important than a pretty face or nice body, but I find myself constantly trying to find ways to make myself look better. I know this is sending mixed signals, but it is a product of our narcissistic society.
I don’t think the women who participate in them feel they are demeaning when the winners are awarded tuition, contracts, cars, and a year of being able to act as an ambassador of goodwill to other similarly minded young women. And to those who think looks are “not important”, try interviewing for a job in dirty clothes and uncombed hair. Looks are important in our society and having a certain pride in one’s appearance is nothing to be ashamed of.
