Isabel Lestapier Winqvist, 20, has dropped out because Swedes say the Miss Universe competition, airing live Monday night from Mexico City's National Auditorium, is degrading to women and weighed down by scandals.
Personally, I have never felt degraded by beauty pagents and this seems to be a rather odd decision considering that Sweden has won the pagent three times, which is a distinction that they share with very few countries.
Wot do you think? Are beauty pagents degrading? Is Miss Sweden doing a service or disservice to the people of Sweden by not competing?
2007-05-25 22:16:26 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Gender Studies
I expect those who feel that pagents are degrading to say something along the lines that pagents set an unrealistic standard of beauty that normal women can not live up to.
Doesn't the title of Ms Universe implicitly imply that the winner is NOT a normal woman and doesn't represent a standard?
2007-05-25 22:19:59 · update #1
Wot exactly is the statement she is making? To seek the Miss Sweden title and win, then refuse to continue in the Ms Universe pagent on the grounds that it's degrading to women seems to be sort of a mixed message.
2007-05-25 22:33:37 · update #2
Ok, so why not renounce her Miss Sweden crown if pagents are degrading then? Why not let the runner up decide if she wants to compete for Ms Universe?
2007-05-25 22:37:05 · update #3
What? Oh, no. I didn't know that and I live in Sweden! Then there would be no point in watching it. Oh man. What a drag. That's just stupid. There are beauty contests for men too. They just don't get as much attention from the media as the ones for women.
2007-05-26 11:06:43 · answer #1 · answered by sunny_marika 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Miss Universe pageant is a commercial enterprise which makes its money, indirectly, from selling advertising space during its TV broadcasts. It is designed to sell products, based on the reality that people, both men and women, like to look at beautiful women. Sweden may think it is making a statement by withdrawing, as is their right to do so, but in reality, the controversy just promotes the pageant and makes it more prominent in people's minds. More people will now watch it. Have Sweden achieved their goal? Probably not. They should have never had entered their contestant.
2007-05-26 01:26:20 · answer #2 · answered by Labsci 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Beauty pageants aren't good for anything these days. The winenrs always say they're going to change the world for the better, but what have they ever done past cutting a ribbon and reading a story to kindergarteners? All they're really there for is to strut around in a bikini. If anyone's going to protest it, I'm glad it's Sweden.
2007-05-26 02:55:49 · answer #3 · answered by Rio Madeira 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. If the decision makers feel that way, they should have waited until next year's pageant season begins and not hold the local-regional-national level pageants that lead up to the Miss Universe contest. Stopping the process mid-season is hypocritical.
It is my understanding that Isabel did not drop out herself. She was forced to drop out by the Swedish pageant runners.
2007-05-26 02:47:32 · answer #4 · answered by bikerchickjill 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i don't think the pageant is degrading cause it shows the beauty of one country. but ms sweden's act can lead to respect for her standing up to her belief
2007-05-25 22:35:14 · answer #5 · answered by mae 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is nothing special about Ms. Universe anymore.
Ms. World is in a much different league, not superficial, not lewd.
2007-05-25 22:30:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
shes making a statement and will gain alot of respect for it, hopfully they will find other means to judging a person
2007-05-25 22:28:06 · answer #7 · answered by k i w i ♥182 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
She wouldn't have won anyway. Big Deal
2007-05-26 18:29:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
i think swedes has full of insecurities and no confidence to face the competition.....that thing really degrades their country....
2007-05-26 17:14:47 · answer #9 · answered by diana 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I think a country can do whatever they pleae.
2007-05-26 07:13:57 · answer #10 · answered by military and veteran advocate 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋