Yes, I tuned into the Miss USA pageant last Sunday night. Growing up as a little girl I loved watching pageants on TV, but I'll be honest- I was debating watching this debacle. Not to completely bash pageants, but I do know what it's like competing in them and the idea it gives society, as well as the women in them. Not to mention, not all pageants are as sugary sweet as they seem to be.
So let's say you make it as big as the Miss USA pageant- a really big feat. How does the rest of society look at this? I know by the flooding on social media, everyone was rooting for the contestant that represented their home state, and, of course, who they thought was the best looking.
Because in beauty pageants, the best looking is the best choice.
In this type of atmosphere people are drawn to be supportive of whoever the most beautiful contestant is. It's all about the hair, the makeup, the slender body. Women being paraded around based on their beauty. I know, there is an educational and philanthropic aspect to it, but in beauty pageants, if you don't have the look, you don't have a chance.
From being a woman and knowing body sizes, I can easily tell most of the women in the Miss USA pageant are easily a size 0, maybe a 2. I can tell from the slender waist lines and bone structure even just from a TV. Miss Indiana 2014, Mekayla Diel displayed a shape much smaller than the average American woman, and has received more attention for having a "normal" size body than the winner of the pageant did for winning.
Photo credit: Entertain This, USA Today
Okay for one, how is this shape "normal?" How can anyone's body be classified as "normal?" Also, it is widely known that Miss Indiana's shape is not the size the average American woman is.
Oh, but wait. This is a beauty pageant.
This is what society is lead to believe- that in order to be beautiful a woman must be very tiny, have a nice round butt (no cellulite please) a nice bosom (no breast implants, only natural, but they can't be too small) and 6 pack abs (not too manly though) with nothing extra.
And society loves this. Many women continually bash their "normal bodies" because their stomachs aren't completely flat. They aren't the same size they were several years ago, and they don't look like the hottest Hollywood actress.
I don't expect society to change, but what we can do is create awareness and teach ourselves, our daughters and our sons that true beauty is much more than skin deep. After all, who more do they look up to besides you?
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