Beauty Contests (America)

[Circle_One]

What do you think of Beauty Contests, from ones as high profile and media-ized (it's a word in MY vocabulary) as Miss America, to small, non-televised, town-based ones?

In your opinion, are they harmful to society as a whole and to the way they force women to see themselves in the eyes of others?

Do they raise the bar, for lack of a better term (it's early), of what women think they are supposed to look like in order to be considered beautiful? And do they harm the confidence of those who feel they cannot live up to society's standards of "beauty", making them strive to impossible extents to meet this standard?

Any thoughts?

[Ðanisty]

I think they're all worthless. The only thing I've ever seen come out of it is an unnecessary competitive attitude. In other words, people who win beauty contests are (insert series of expletives).

[Green Gaia]

I don't have any use for them...

[Ody]

I find myself not really minding them at all, waste of Television time however!

[michel]

Originally Posted by Ðanisty

I think they're all worthless. The only thing I've ever seen come out of it is an unnecessary competitive attitude. In other words, people who win beauty contests are (insert series of expletives).

I think they are worthless (on the whole), but I suppose one has to accept that the participants get something out of it - especially those who win.


If I walk down any road of any town, I marvell at the beautiful girls and women I see. I think there must be a 'type' who feels impelled to enter contests, and if it helps them, so be it.........but I think they are a waste of time and money.

[evearael]

The only demean the participants and the entire audience. It contributes to the lower self-worth of girls, both young and old, by giving them unrealistic and unattainable standards of physical beauty.

[Pah]

I agree with all the "anti-pagent" comments made here. I don't watch any of them.

But my real anger is reserved for the kiddie-pagents.

[evearael]

I agree with Pah. The kiddie-pagents are horrific... parents training very young children to use highly sexualized body-language is absolutely reprehensible. They should be in jail.

[Flappycat]

Well, if you don't like them, don't go to them, and don't watch them. Some people enjoy the things, and the women who participate are, like anyone else involved, there to have a good time. No, it doesn't "raise the bar" for women or give them an unrealistic standard to live up to because the women who participate and win are, by definition, surreally attractive according to the tastes of the judges. If you want to know the real villain, it's not Barbie, Miss America, or Charlotte Church. You want to see the real enemy? Turn on the blasted television, and watch the commercials.

[michel]

Originally Posted by Flappycat

Well, if you don't like them, don't go to them, and don't watch them. Some people enjoy the things, and the women who participate are, like anyone else involved, there to have a good time. No, it doesn't "raise the bar" for women or give them an unrealistic standard to live up to because the women who participate and win are, by definition, surreally attractive according to the tastes of the judges. If you want to know the real villain, it's not Barbie, Miss America, or Charlotte Church. You want to see the real enemy? Turn on the blasted television, and watch the commercials.

Well, of course, we all know that; presumably though, suffiencient numbers watch them, or they wouldn't be broadcast.

As far as your comment about 'women being there to enjoy them' is concerned, I can only hope that is true. From what I understood (mainly from my wife), the bitchiness that goes on offstage is dreadful..........still, if people want to do it, as you say, I'll just watch something else.