It’s a political diversion — to veer the collective consciousness away from the disquieting political noise, and the chilling possibility of a declaration of Martial Law, a cynical friend said about the 2016 Miss Universe pageant hosted this year by the Philippines. Now that is too far-fetched, and too paranoid even over growing common uneasiness about a leader whom his critics say talks too fast and too much. Nah, the Miss Universe contest is just some clean, wholesome fun — like a for-adults fairytale enactment of a Cinderella being recognized for her awesome beauty and shining character. Watch the culminating pageant, to be broadcast live from the Mall of Asia in Manila on Jan. 29.
But women’s rights advocate group Gabriela does not believe in fairytale extravaganzas meant to deceive the public into thinking the country is peaceful and stable (ABS-CBN News, 01.12.2017). “The Miss Universe pageant is an expensive exercise to lull the people and the international audience into a false sense of well-being and celebration,” Gabriela party-list Representative Arlene Brosas said in a press conference (Ibid.). They feel specially aggravated that the Department of Tourism has been deeply involved in the two-week joint pre-pageant local resort tours and promotions with the commercial promoters, sponsors and local franchise owners of the 2016 pageant organization. Why does not the country put forward other initiatives for the country’s development, instead of exploiting the women candidates in the pageant to market products and services, Gabriela asks? (Ibid.).
The first Miss Universe Pageant was 65 years ago, held in Long Beach, California in 1952. Armi Kuusela from Finland was the first Miss Universe. She married Filipino business tycoon Virgilio Hilario before her one-year term was completed (The Philippine Star, 06.28.2006). Miss Philippines Gloria Diaz was Miss Universe in 1964; Margarita Moran in 1973; and the reigning 2015 Miss Universe is Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
When the Miss Universe Pageant moved from Long Beach, California to Miami Beach, Florida in 1960, the competitor Miss International Beauty Pageant was started in Long Beach, now 57 years ago. Since then, six Filipinas have won the Miss International crown: Gemma Cruz in 1964; Aurora Pijuan, 1970; Melanie Marquez, 1979; Precious Lara Quigaman, 2005; Bea Rose Santiago, 2013; and Kylie Verzosa was named Miss International in 2016.
For the hundreds of Filipino young ladies who dreamily joined local national beauty contests to qualify for, and hopefully to participate and win in international pageants like the three Misses Universe and six Misses International who did our country proud: did they feel exploited? Did you feel exploited and used — a friend, a former international beauty queen — was asked? Think 50 years ago. Why have international beauty contests thrived in escalating popular excitement, despite righteous protests of exploitation from women’s groups?
Joining a beauty contest is a growing up, she said, surely speaking from experience, though certainly not conscious of any philosophy at that time, she clarified.
During the competition, you evolve into a woman — conscious of your advantages and limitations as you focus upon yourself and the other young women who are also visibly unfolding and blooming. You are the best you can be at that point, and you have formed in your mind what you can be in the future. Is it like a rite of passage, then? Yes, and specially for the ones who win, maturing in life and the world is jump-started miles beyond age. Would it be some kind of a realization of power? Yes, Woman Power.
The titling in a beauty contest is sadly tainted by the empirical premises of pulchritude and sexuality, when the winning is actually more intuitively based on the overall projection of idealized womanliness. Thus would the exploiters come into the picture — the commercial people creating the entertainment extravaganzas to make awesome profit, catering to chauvinists who want to sample the best in what they would look at as a smorgasbord of women in full bloom, and available for the picking. They think you’re easy, because you joined a beauty contest, and you are a trophy acquisition, if you are a winner, the former international beauty queen said.
But it is all up to you, she continued.
There’s the exploiter and there’s the one who agrees to be exploited. Some participants in a beauty contest come in with pre-existing baggage — some weakness of character from improper values from poor family upbringing or perhaps a twisted ambition to grab more than what is needed in life. Then they succumb to the “exploitation” or sometimes can be willing victims. Yet on the other hand, fame could easily bring fortune, and the titling in a beauty contest can quickly bring opportunities whether realized or not. Then some beauty queens knowing their extraordinary empowerment could very well be the exploiters, rather than the exploited as they leverage on their anointing and recognition to their advantage (the hapless chauvinist not realizing he was actually the victim).
Then what would women’s rights advocates be fighting against in a beauty contest?
Discrimination, sexual harassment, human trafficking, molestation, mental and physical battery and disrespect in its many forms are against human rights, not only against women rights. There are “beauty” contests of men in reverse discrimination to beauty contests of women (both grossly flaunting body exposure with heavy nuances of sexual peddling). Even the definition of “woman” has changed, legally and practically. In 2012, the Miss Universe Organization allowed a transgender woman, and any transgender woman thereafter to be among qualified contestants in the yearly pageants. Paula Shugart, president (until now) of the Miss Universe Organization said: “We have a long history of supporting equality for all women, and this was something we took very seriously,” following institutions that have taken a stand against discrimination of transgender women including the Olympics, NCAA, the Girl Scouts of America and others (Associated Press, 05.11.2012).
And the ambiguous definitions of exploiter and exploited become even more mangled in the jealous claims to women’s rights and privileges in the global society. Yet the sad part of it all is that culturally and religiously, some nations are so far behind with women’s rights and even human rights in general. The fight for inclusive and equal global development must go hand in hand with the fight for gender equality in laggard countries. Developed countries and countries like the Philippines who understand rights and privileges of equality and inclusiveness in democracy have the duty to educate its people in the proper values and ethics in a conducive climate to symbiosis and cooperative action rather than the self-punishing divisiveness in gender, race, and creed.
These beauty contests are a good thing, the husband of the former international beauty queen says. The Miss Universe, Inc. gives to many charitable institutions in less developed countries. And closer to his heart — these beauty contests honor Woman. They honor not only her beauty, her personality, intelligence, her willingness to help others. It enhances her, so it’s a good thing.
A Rite of Passage to Woman Power.
Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines.
