Beauty Contests -Are beauty contests harmful?

[sugarlicious]

Beauty contests are popular in many parts of the world. The biggest, the Miss World competition, has been running annually since 1951, and although it is less popular in the UK now than it was in 1968, when it attracted 27.5 million TV viewers, it attracts an enormous worldwide audience - around 3 billion viewers in 115 countries.

So my question is - Are Beauty contest harmful or are they ideal of female beauty to which only a minority of women can realistically aspire, but which adds to the pressure on all women to conform to it. This can be harmful to women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply by making them feel inadequate and ugly.

 

[sugarlicious]

Hello Anyone

 

[silverstar1025]

chirp

 

[cindylou]

I think that its realistic to look that way

they are not supersuperthin like models

i think they are good role models, most of them

 

[sugarlicious]

I think that its realistic to look that way

they are not supersuperthin like models

i think they are good role models, most of them

So you dont think beauty contest fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. Despite paying lip-service to feminist keywords such as empowerment and self-confidence, they do nothing concrete to aid the liberation of women; indeed, by reinforcing looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general.

 

[cindylou]

So you dont think beauty contest fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. Despite paying lip-service to feminist keywords such as empowerment and self-confidence, they do nothing concrete to aid the liberation of women; indeed, by reinforcing looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general.

I dont care about feminism actually.

or women's lib.

 

[redsamurai]

I don't know if they're harmful or not.........but they sure are irritating. Talk about a collection of absolutely useless women. Rarely do any of them look like they'd be even "modestly" fun in bed............and the stupidity factor is through the roof. I prefer looking at women with substance........but that's just me. And "substance" can come in many forms. But I just can't tolerate watching these women prattle through some rehearsed response to a known question........especially one like "how would you cure hunger?". I start to twitch when I hear shit like that.

 

[sugarlicious]

I don't know if they're harmful or not.........but they sure are irritating. Talk about a collection of absolutely useless women. Rarely do any of them look like they'd be even "modestly" fun in bed............and the stupidity factor is through the roof. I prefer looking at women with substance........but that's just me. And "substance" can come in many forms. But I just can't tolerate watching these women prattle through some rehearsed response to a known question........especially one like "how would you cure hunger?". I start to twitch when I hear shit like that.

But There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.

 

[redsamurai]

But There is nothing wrong with judging people primarily on their physical prowess - we do this all the time in competitive sport, where fitness and strength are major determinants of success. Every competition, of every kind, values certain qualities over others - we recognise that being able to lift heavy weights isn’t the prime definition of human worth, but we can still give prizes for weightlifting; similarly, we can give a prize to a beautiful woman for her beauty without implying that beauty is all that matters about anyone.

at least with athletic contests there is a clearly quantifyable winner. How many times have you watched a beauty contest and the hottest girl of the bunch doesnt' even make the top 10? I don't like subjectivity........which is why I can't stand bodybuilding either. If you can't accurately quantify "WHY" someone won a contest.........than you have to admit it was simply up to the judges "subjectivity". Even with contests like american idol......where the viewers "supposedly" pick the winners........you see some of the most talented people voted down in favor of someone who exhibits some sort of superficial quality that has nothing to do with the actual talent that they're supposed to have.

 

[sugarlicious]

at least with athletic contests there is a clearly quantifyable winner. How many times have you watched a beauty contest and the hottest girl of the bunch doesnt' even make the top 10? I don't like subjectivity........which is why I can't stand bodybuilding either. If you can't accurately quantify "WHY" someone won a contest.........than you have to admit it was simply up to the judges "subjectivity". Even with contests like american idol......where the viewers "supposedly" pick the winners........you see some of the most talented people voted down in favor of someone who exhibits some sort of superficial quality that has nothing to do with the actual talent that they're supposed to have.

Interesting Point
But Beauty contests, like sport, can be an important focus of national or regional pride. Despite the declining popularity of competitions such as Miss World in the UK, they hold an important cultural place in many parts of the world. The victories in recent years of Miss India, Miss Turkey and Miss Nigeria in Miss World competitions made many Indians, Turks and Nigerians proud, and were seen as symbolic of those countries’ progress in competing with more powerful countries on their own terms.


Anyway i like your views and your discussion on such a subject