Why do feminists take such offense to beauty contests such as Miss World?

Question

It's just a contest. I'm crap at tennis and I don't take offence at the Wimbledon tournement. Neither am I a chess champion, that doesn't mean I hate Gary Kasparov for taking advantage of his natural ability. If a man or women is lucky enough to be born with great looks, why shouldn't they use them in their career? Also, I imagine that the Miss World contestants do have to put quite a lot of work into it actually, and sacrafice a lot of their time to perfecting their physiques, and not being able to enjoy yummy ice cream and chocolate.

Answer 1

It's just yet another form of objectifying women. I'm sure they do work hard at preparing for competitions, but what do they work hard at? Being Barbie Dolls, that's what. I mean, if the emphasis was truly on physique perfection, why do so many of them tape their boobs up in such a way as to be more prominent for the bathing suit portion of the competition?

When I was about 10 years old, I knew a girl who competed in beauty contests (had since she was about 2 years old). Her hair was permed and dyed blond (at age 10), and she wouldn't participate in anything that would mess up her appearance: fun and games that are natural for kids of that age. I think that's a very sad and damaging message to send to young girls -- that their only worth lies in how good they look.

P.S. - To chalga (below) in response to your lengthy diatribe, I'm not sure where all your anger is coming from, but, in fact, I agree with a lot of what you say. I'm pretty sure it was her mother who started her on the beauty pageant circuit at such a young age. Her mother, obviously, was brainwashed into believing that a woman's worth lies in her looks, sadly. We're bombarded with it every day in advertising on TV and in magazines. Studies have been done that show that attractive women will often be hired over not-so-attractive women, even if they are less qualified/capable/intelligent. I think this is sad and wrong.

Answer 2

LOL... Because none of them will every have a chance of winning one.

Old society over emphasized feminitity. Feminazis hate being a woman and try to bury any differences between the sexes. They are overly sensitive and demand the special privlidges granted by the old Chavonistic but chivalrous ideals but also demand the same rights and privildges without the responsibility and duty that come with it which men traditionally enjoy. A really bad situation for all. Many women hate being thrust into the roles they are. Others are frustrated by the roadblocks which are often reactions to excesses of the Feminist movement.

So the beauty pagents, porn, any activity viewed as a male activity or something that benifits males is openly and savagely attacked even when the primary victim of the attacks winds up being women. They find it impossible to believe that any women just want to be girly girls so they want to 'rescue" these misguided women and force them to think along the "proper" lines.

Rosie's recent spat with Trump is a great example. Rosie could care less if Ms USA had done XYZ. She's jealous of the girl, hates the mentality that allowed her to be who and what she is and hates the whole thing. So the attacks on Trump and Ms USA. If it hadn't been Ms USA Rosie probably would have been up there championing the girl.

So in the end the Feminist movement actually winds up embodying the very worst stereotypes against women that so many women fought so hard to put down. The irrationality and spite. The venom and backstabbing.

Answer 3

I agree with dv8_tress and the_maverick. I think it's tougher on a woman to get by in this society if she is not considered attractive. I think this affects men too, to a much lesser degree, though. How many times will you see an average or even unattractive guy with an attractive woman, but rarely vice versa?

I knew a girl in high school who would, by most standards, have been considered very unattractive. She was constantly belittled and tormented by a lot of guys in the school (a$$holes). I felt so bad for her and took the time to start talking to her. She was kind and intelligent, but very few took the time to bother with her and get to know her as a person. Whereas, you can have a very pretty girl who maybe doesn't have the greatest personality or level of intelligence, and they get lots of positive attention.

This is why I don't like beauty pageants. They just perpetuate the myth that women must be attractive in order to have any value in this society.

Answer 4

LOL that's an excellent point. Plus they have all those mens fitness contests and such. It's just no one wants to see that quivering mass of steriody muscles. Everyone wants to see girls in swimsuits. I think feminists have started to miss the point. We looked for equal OPPORTUNITY and CHOICE. Now women are able to choose between being a doctor and a beauty queen. It's just plain mean to sit there and say "hey let's have freedom of choice!" and then put down the women that CHOOSE to enter these contests.

Answer 5

Much has to do with the false dualism that people hold towards bodies. It is as if the body is not part of the real person. Rather like Oprah and Dove soaps misguided " true beauty " attacks. It is as if these people see the young and beautiful putting on a fake garment of beauty. Go figure.

Answer 6

They feel that it belittles the talents of these young ladies and lets their minds go to waste. This also see it as a shallow way for a woman's body to be shown. Another reason is because a male created it and it doesn't show the "true" qualities of a woman. No I am not a feminist, I just have known some feminists and understand both sides of the coin.

Answer 7

I don't see the problem. I consider myself a feminist to a certain point. I believe in equality between the sexes. Men have competitions of their own. Both sexes have their ehibitionist competitions so I don't see a problem here.

Answer 8

Because they were not invited and because they are stupid. That the feminine is beeing displayed and celebrated in a culture is actually a positive thing for a woman in as opposed to cultures which display only masculinity and hide/ lock away anything feminine.

Answer 9

hah yeah ... of course the ugly girls will not want to have miss world or whatever beauty contest. They don't want to have and handsome girls than them .. yeah I know.. life sux

Why is that? Because they have to go trough the hard way while the beautiful girl get what she want the easy way..

And .. I'm sure dv8_tress that the girl you were talking about was very concerned at age 2, how good she look because she wanted to go to a beauty contest since she was born or maybe before that. And had her hair permed and dyed blond at 10 because SHE think it have to be that way?

Ooo and maybe it was her father who sent her to her's first beauty contest? or when she was 10? Was he? I'm sure that it was her mother! So... who made her to think about only her look? I'm sure also that her mother is not found star or ms Universe or whatever.. that only dreamed to go to beauty contest but she couldn't... After all it isn't her's father unrealized ambitions to be super model or something..

Of course she will not take action in anything that will mess her up because she, not u, will have to go home to her crazy mom who have ****** up her life like that...

Everybody can think for what he want's to... they think for their looks because this is what they do for living(and some don't have what else to think for) ..

And as a final I would like you all to think.. if a man tell you that he don't care how he look, would you believe him? What if a woman tell you that she don't care how she look?

Answer 10

I dont know why they would take offense to it considering those women want to be there to compete in those contests. They are exercising their freedom of choice. I think the ones who have a problem with it, also have a problem with freedom of choice.