NO, THIS is not a piece on what went wrong and what Chelsea Manalo could have done differently to secure a place in the top five in the Filipinos’ most loved beauty pageant. As it is, we have already been bombarded with a barrage of social media posts dissecting her performance during the prelims – from her lackluster swimsuit presentation, to her unflattering blue debutante gown, even down to her hairstyle. As expected, some even pointed out what they perceived as another rigged result from the predominantly Latina judges.
This is a personal take on how to enjoy the annual pageant without taking it too seriously as if our lives depended on it. Can we, for just one second, accept the outcome, appreciate our country’s delegate for giving the best that she could do, look forward to the next edition and then move on to more pressing matters?
As a beauty pageant-crazy nation, we should also remind ourselves of the fact that the Miss Universe pageant is a business and not a humanitarian undertaking. Like any other commercial venture, its primary objective is to make money. This is achieved through sponsorship deals, broadcasting rights, product endorsements, and ticket sales which are translated into millions of dollars in revenues. In short, we should view it for what it is – an entertainment brand with an agenda.
As a global entertainment phenomenon, the truth behind the Miss Universe façade is not so much about women empowerment but more about marketing, branding, and cold hard business. True, many contestants use the pageant as a platform to speak about important issues like education, health care, bullying, discrimination, or environmental conservation. However, these messages take a backseat to the entertainment spectacle of the event itself.
Viewers around the globe are treated to carefully scripted moments and meticulously choregraphed events to create an impression of depth – from the sashing to the press presentation, from the lavish display of national costumes to the swimsuit and long gown competition, from the tour around the host country to the meet-and-greet with corporate sponsors, and from the speeches to the beauty routines. All these ultimately serve the pageant’s brand, rather than launch and sustain meaningful changes that will benefit the underprivileged and marginalized.
To be fair, we have seen how the organization has crowned a growing list of diversified beauties over the years. The pageant can continue to parrot its inclusivity rhetoric but the focus remains on physical perfection – youthful faces, tall frames, whistle-bait figures, and oftentimes white or light-skinned ideal. This is one aspect I really find problematic, if not disturbing. As we continue to delight in the annual pageant, we send a very dangerous message to young girls around the world by unconsciously enforcing a narrow and very unrealistic standard of beauty. As a result, women and even young girls are pressured to conform to these standards to feel validated. This notion that only one specific kind of woman deserves global recognition is harmful, and not in any way empowering.
I think it is high time that we take a stand and continue to reimagine and redefine beauty standards. We must look beyond Miss Universe or any pageant for that matter because real women empowerment is not about competing for a crown, and being judged and scrutinized by just a handful of people.
If we want to empower women and celebrate diversity, let us all dismantle harmful beauty standards and embrace a truly inclusive vision for all women across the globe – one that will never equate value with appearance and one that will never require a public entertainment spectacle for affirmation. Let us invest in, and support other platforms that train, educate and empower women in a manner that is not based on external beauty or their “marketability.”
Millions of women around the world, many of whom remain unrecognized, are doing extra ordinary work every day in fields previously unwelcoming to them. From grassroot organizing to groundbreaking research, women continue to break glass ceilings without the need for a crown or a title. Let us celebrate them for their many wins and support them in their countless struggles through tangible ways; not just during that one “most beautiful day in the universe,” but every single day of the year.
