To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Why Beauty Pageants?
So... at the regularly scheduled OFPAC (Old Farts Political Action Committee) coffee clatch/summit this morning, the subject of beauty pageants came up. Dad asked why there are so many pagents... and... more importantly, why do they call it "Miss Universe" when someone from Earth always wins?
Hmm... why are there so many pageants? Girls are entered into Miss Cupcake pageants at the age or 3 or 4, and they just go from one to the next. They have everything from Miss Watermelon at some county festival to Miss X County to the states, Miss USA, Miss America, Mrs. America, every country (well, every country without burka rules), Miss World AND Miss Universe. And we can't forget Miss Earth. What's the deal?
Beauty pageants might be able to trace their roots back to May Day festivals in Europe. P.T. Barnum tried to have one in the 1850s, but it was shut down due to public outcry. "Bathing beauty pageants" began in 1880 to promote business in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Over the years, the pageants developed into what we know today, but they didn't gain respectability until World War II.
But... why are there so many today? I, honestly, cannot think of any reasons. They have no moral, social, or economic value. It could easily be argued that they actually have a negative impact socially and morally. They teach young, impressionable girls (and their stage-parents) that their only value is how they look, not who they are. They teach young, impressionable guys that ogling women and judging them on their looks is perfectly acceptable. Sure, the girls in the pageants have to be of a certain moral and academic caliber (although you'd never know it based on some of their interview answers), but the kids who watch the pageants on tv don't know or care about that.
So... what do you think? Why are there so many pageants these days? And... do I really need to tell y'all to keep it clean?
Hmm... why are there so many pageants? Girls are entered into Miss Cupcake pageants at the age or 3 or 4, and they just go from one to the next. They have everything from Miss Watermelon at some county festival to Miss X County to the states, Miss USA, Miss America, Mrs. America, every country (well, every country without burka rules), Miss World AND Miss Universe. And we can't forget Miss Earth. What's the deal?
Beauty pageants might be able to trace their roots back to May Day festivals in Europe. P.T. Barnum tried to have one in the 1850s, but it was shut down due to public outcry. "Bathing beauty pageants" began in 1880 to promote business in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Over the years, the pageants developed into what we know today, but they didn't gain respectability until World War II.
But... why are there so many today? I, honestly, cannot think of any reasons. They have no moral, social, or economic value. It could easily be argued that they actually have a negative impact socially and morally. They teach young, impressionable girls (and their stage-parents) that their only value is how they look, not who they are. They teach young, impressionable guys that ogling women and judging them on their looks is perfectly acceptable. Sure, the girls in the pageants have to be of a certain moral and academic caliber (although you'd never know it based on some of their interview answers), but the kids who watch the pageants on tv don't know or care about that.
So... what do you think? Why are there so many pageants these days? And... do I really need to tell y'all to keep it clean?
