Pet Peeve #2: Beauty Pageants
Just what are they? Let's think for a moment about where they come from and why we have them. After extensive research (Wikipedia) I have found the answers. First and foremost, pageants were designed and created as a marketing tool. The first “bathing beauty pageant" took place as part of a summer festival to promote business in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in 1880. Beauty pageants became more widely accepted during WWII when beauty queens were used to sell bonds and entertain troops. Pageants became popular during the 50's when they were used to promote county fairs and local products. What is at work here? It's one of the oldest marketing tools in the book: sex appeal.
Sadly enough, thousands of women sign up each year to compete with one another for the laud and honor of a nation. Laud and honor of a nation?! How crazy are you? You compete merely to appease the appetites of a few dirty old goats. The men in attendance are only waiting to ogle you while you parade around in a swim suit. Only heaven knows why there are women there. It sure isn't for the talent show because there is better talent to be had at your little sister's piano recital.
Pageants have been the bane of the feminist movement. They tear down all that our fore-mothers burned their bras for. They are a place where the skewed perceptions and pressures of a warped society objectify emaciated young women under the pretense of beauty, or worse yet, a scholarship. What would you do for a little money? If you win, you hope to navigate your future by filling your sails with the stagnant winds of popularity, praise and a penny in your pocket.
“So the Miss America "Scholarship" Pageant is on tonight”, your roommate says. Oh, there's a real winner. I could listen to somebody regurgitate platitudes about community service, helping the needy and world peace. Don't we see what is really going on here? It's all about motives. There are three parties whose motives must be examined.
First, the contestants. Why are they doing this? Possible motives:
Fame
Praise
The stamp of society that says they are beautiful
Ego or a lack there of
Money
Being on TV
Make Mom or Dad happy
Show the mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all
Beat Marsha at her own game
Low self esteem
Other reasons not readily ascertainable
Second, the audience. Why are they there? Possible reasons:
Titillate their sexual appetites
Support someone they know
Dream about the day when they will compete
Remember the time they competed
They have nothing better to do
Third, the organizers. Why would you do this?
Money. Plain and simple. Money makes the world go round. Why do we have TV show's? Money. Why do we have movies? Money. It's all about money. Somebody, one day, found that if he got some women to parade about in swimsuits, people would come watch. In fact they would pay to watch. Not only that, they would be in a particular location for a particular amount of time, which can be used to boost sales and market products.
So why are young women still voluntarily signing up to be the marketing tools for a few greedy and debauched old men?
Sadly enough, thousands of women sign up each year to compete with one another for the laud and honor of a nation. Laud and honor of a nation?! How crazy are you? You compete merely to appease the appetites of a few dirty old goats. The men in attendance are only waiting to ogle you while you parade around in a swim suit. Only heaven knows why there are women there. It sure isn't for the talent show because there is better talent to be had at your little sister's piano recital.
Pageants have been the bane of the feminist movement. They tear down all that our fore-mothers burned their bras for. They are a place where the skewed perceptions and pressures of a warped society objectify emaciated young women under the pretense of beauty, or worse yet, a scholarship. What would you do for a little money? If you win, you hope to navigate your future by filling your sails with the stagnant winds of popularity, praise and a penny in your pocket.
“So the Miss America "Scholarship" Pageant is on tonight”, your roommate says. Oh, there's a real winner. I could listen to somebody regurgitate platitudes about community service, helping the needy and world peace. Don't we see what is really going on here? It's all about motives. There are three parties whose motives must be examined.
First, the contestants. Why are they doing this? Possible motives:
Fame
Praise
The stamp of society that says they are beautiful
Ego or a lack there of
Money
Being on TV
Make Mom or Dad happy
Show the mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all
Beat Marsha at her own game
Low self esteem
Other reasons not readily ascertainable
Second, the audience. Why are they there? Possible reasons:
Titillate their sexual appetites
Support someone they know
Dream about the day when they will compete
Remember the time they competed
They have nothing better to do
Third, the organizers. Why would you do this?
Money. Plain and simple. Money makes the world go round. Why do we have TV show's? Money. Why do we have movies? Money. It's all about money. Somebody, one day, found that if he got some women to parade about in swimsuits, people would come watch. In fact they would pay to watch. Not only that, they would be in a particular location for a particular amount of time, which can be used to boost sales and market products.
So why are young women still voluntarily signing up to be the marketing tools for a few greedy and debauched old men?
