Pageant News Roundup: March 2013

As Director of this small pageant, I find myself constantly searching online to see what's happening in pageant world. Here's a few of the pageant news articles that I have stumbled across in the past month. Frequently I find some interesting articles that remind me how difficult this pageant business is and all the many misconceptions that are held concerning both pageant directors and pageant participants. You will notice that I wont post any links to child pageants, because that is not something I believe in and there certainly is enough other pageant news to share.

On Pageants Around The World...

Kenya: Beauty pageants are often used as a platform for various causes.  The most popular of these being "world peace".  Although it might sound 'all very cliche', we all know world peace is a very real issue.  But not only pageant contestants talk world peace...

Russia: Recently Elmira Abdrazakova, an 18-year old student from Mezhdurechensk (western Siberia), was crowned Miss Russia 2013.  Anastasia Yazykova (left) from Yaroslavl was the first runner-up. Irina Tumanova (right) from Kalmykia took the third place in the pageant.  From the pictures, it looks like a fantastic evening! If I could spend all day watching pageants (and music videos) I would :)They have a lovely image gallery which I enjoyed looking at -- take a look at this and more pictures on their site and on their Facebook page.

Also in Russia, during my internet trawling, I came across a beauty pageant that I hadn't expected.  International Women's Day, 8th March is a very popular day for pageant events, and that contiued this year..  Some Russian prisons celebrated International Women’s Day by holding beauty pageants. One of them took place at the Pereleshinsky Penal Colony in the Voronezh Region.  The competition was titled “Poselyanochka-2013” (“Young Woman of the Penal Colony-2013”).  The colony’s warden suggested that all inmates participate, but only six women had the courage to do so.  The prison purchased ball gowns and invited two hair stylists and The jury evaluated the contestants’ skills in several categories: the catwalk, creativity, dancing and cooking. According to pageant organizers, the fact that the audience included both female and male inmates further motivated the competitors.Diana Shchetinina, “a reckless auto enthusiast” from Michurinsk, won the beauty pageant.

India: Recently Sharon Fernandis was crowned as the Indian Princess and Jannatul Paya was selected as the Indian Princess International. 14 Indian and 15 foreign models took part in the competition. Though physical beauty remains the chief requirement for the participants in beauty pageants, judges try hard to churn out the mental capacities of the contestants as well. The event was strategically planned to take place on the eve of International Women's Day, so that it could be seen as a program to promote a cause. Such beauty pageants are a recognition of empowered women who have the potential inspiring other women. The contestants poured their hearts out to win the crown. Their grueling training sessions for the event were hidden behind their smiling faces.

In other news...
Check out this WOMANLESS beauty pageant which was held recently to fundraise for charity.

On Press Coverage of Beauty Pageants...

In this article it appears that the pageant organizers are exploiting participants, but upon reading the article fully - it turns out they aren't.  This is an example of press sensationalism - they know that they will get more readers if they make out like someone is losing something - particularly innocent girls.
 
The actual fact of the matter is that, like our pageant, the Junior Miss Birmingham pageant does not have a swimwear section, but because some sports require wearing leotards, then contestants can wear them.  In my humble opinion, I suppose it wouldn't make any sense for (say) a gymnast to appear on stage in a tennis outfit, and then when called to the microphone to explain her hobbies, to then explain that she's actually a gymnast but has chosen to wear a tennis outfit on stage to avoid being exploited?  This doesn't make much sense to me personally, and I'm inclined to believe that there are more important news stories that could be covered than this story with it's misleading headline.  Read it yourself and see what you think.

Another article sees Miss England 2012, Charlotte Holmes speaking out against the way beauty pageants are seen by the general public. Reported in the Daily mail as saying "being a beauty queen 'is not just about parading around in swimwear or a glamorous gown", the professional model said she has had to face people who believe beauty pageants are sexist and demeaning to women since she beat thousands of girls to the crown last summer.

But the 23 year old believes they are anything but degrading as the contestants have to prove they have brains and physical fitness as well as beauty. Read more on the Daily Mail website.

On Pageants and Eating Disorders ...

Many pageants are synonymous with psychological issues that some participants may be facing.  Eating disorders is one of those many things.  The press often reports that pageant girls focus too much on weight and diet, to the point of making themselves ill.  I'd like to point out that all kinds of people have different psychological reasons for focusing on their weight, diet - eating too much, or too little, etc - so its not just girls that take part in pageants that experience this.  That said - here is an article on one pageant participants battle with an eating disorder during a time of depression that she was experiencing:  Read more about Isabella Blaine's journey.

Pageant Finals Coming up this April :

• 6th April - Miss Mongol Nepal 2013
• 8th April - The Miss Htoi Tsawm 2013, Kularlumpu, Malaysia
• 21st April - Miss East Anglia
• 27th April - Miss African Spirit 2013
• 27th April - Miss India Worldwide

One to Watch...

For the first time since 1962 Myanmar will send contestant Nang Khin Zayar to the Miss World Finals which will be held in the Indonesian capital and on the resort island of Bali. Myanmar (Burma) is a resource rich country and located in in Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by the People’s Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, with the Andaman Sea defining its southern periphery.

And FINALLY - here's a lighter take on beauty pageants for you... check out the B.C.H.S Womanless Beauty Pageant Harlem Shake!!!