2008 Woodie Awards
Archaic standards for pageants are ridiculous
Sarah Zeeck
Issue date: 7/18/07 Section: Opinion
Across the country, young women participate in beauty pageants at county fairs and the state and national levels. For months out of the year, these women prepare for the pageants, buying the best shoes, practicing poise and rehearsing speeches they formulated for use at the event. For contestants, it is important to achieve a state of near perfection in order to excel.
Apparently, these girls are also accountable for every action they took in their past. According to the Associated Press, the woman crowned as Miss New Jersey, Amy Polumbo, was caught in some unflattering photographs that were posted on the Internet.
These photographs, though not revealing in nature, were considered by some to be "unflattering" and "unladylike."
The pictures compromised Polumbo's status as queen; someone in possession of the photos sent them to pageant officials in an attempt to dethrone and defame New Jersey's queen. Their attempts proved futile, as the officials ruled she could remain queen.
Whereas the photos were deemed unflattering, they were not unlike many photos college students have on their Facebook, MySpace and other online networking Web sites. Reportedly, Polumbo was clothed in all photos and not participating in illegal activities.
That being said, this is not the first instance of a woman being in danger of losing her crown over unflattering photographs. Many pageants stress a certain level of colonial propriety from their candidates. This may be more evident in pageants at the county scale, but hints of pre-suffrage ideals subtly flavor aspects such as the evening gown and swimsuit portions of the contest.
Contestants are made up, primped, curled, colored, dressed and otherwise sculpted into the images of perfect women. Whereas this isn't a major issue, the idea that the women are expected to act as if they are flawless at all times is slightly preposterous.
If anything, young and impressionable girls will come out of this realizing the queen is not without faults, thereby reinforcing the idea that they do not have to look and act pristine all the time. Being in a post-suffrage society, women are now considered men's equals. Women should not be ostracized for not looking like dolls or not acting statuesque and prim at all times; however, tabloids cling to less-than-perfectly poised celebrities incessantly, making allegations of marital issues, pregnancy and drug abuse.
It's important to remember that women, being members of the human race, are not Barbies. Perhaps the little imperfections of Miss New Jersey proved a point. Maybe society as a whole can benefit from this example.
Apparently, these girls are also accountable for every action they took in their past. According to the Associated Press, the woman crowned as Miss New Jersey, Amy Polumbo, was caught in some unflattering photographs that were posted on the Internet.
These photographs, though not revealing in nature, were considered by some to be "unflattering" and "unladylike."
The pictures compromised Polumbo's status as queen; someone in possession of the photos sent them to pageant officials in an attempt to dethrone and defame New Jersey's queen. Their attempts proved futile, as the officials ruled she could remain queen.
Whereas the photos were deemed unflattering, they were not unlike many photos college students have on their Facebook, MySpace and other online networking Web sites. Reportedly, Polumbo was clothed in all photos and not participating in illegal activities.
That being said, this is not the first instance of a woman being in danger of losing her crown over unflattering photographs. Many pageants stress a certain level of colonial propriety from their candidates. This may be more evident in pageants at the county scale, but hints of pre-suffrage ideals subtly flavor aspects such as the evening gown and swimsuit portions of the contest.
Contestants are made up, primped, curled, colored, dressed and otherwise sculpted into the images of perfect women. Whereas this isn't a major issue, the idea that the women are expected to act as if they are flawless at all times is slightly preposterous.
If anything, young and impressionable girls will come out of this realizing the queen is not without faults, thereby reinforcing the idea that they do not have to look and act pristine all the time. Being in a post-suffrage society, women are now considered men's equals. Women should not be ostracized for not looking like dolls or not acting statuesque and prim at all times; however, tabloids cling to less-than-perfectly poised celebrities incessantly, making allegations of marital issues, pregnancy and drug abuse.
It's important to remember that women, being members of the human race, are not Barbies. Perhaps the little imperfections of Miss New Jersey proved a point. Maybe society as a whole can benefit from this example.
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