Let’s get one thing straight: I’m probably not what you’d think of when you think of a “pageant girl” by any means. I’m 5’3,” my thighs rub together when I walk and I certainly don’t walk around with a perfectly whitened smile plastered to my face. When you think of a beauty queen I’m sure I’m the last thing that comes to mind. However, that didn’t and doesn’t stop me from competing. In fact, it’s one thing that makes me love pageantry so much.
Pageants get a lot of flack, and now that the Miss America state competitions are in full swing, they’ll start to gain more and more media attention. Some media outlets will draw attention to the vast accomplishments of the amazing new state titleholders, but many will choose to shine a harsh light on pageantry, drawing up arguments about feminism and sexism and how that blasted swimsuit component of pageants is so “demeaning” to women. Pageants are often criticized for placing value in physical beauty over substance, but I have to disagree.
I entered my first pageant because I have a killer bucket list that I am determined to complete and competing in a pageant was right at the top of it because who does that?! I remember walking out of my first information session and thinking “nope, I cannot do this”, but my friends convinced me to try it anyway, just to say I did because it’s not like I would actually make it into the final show anyway, right? Wrong. I did make it into the final show, which meant I had a lot of work to do and it was a lot more than I anticipated.
Preparing for a pageant is no joke. Between the hours spent formulating and developing a platform, hitting the gym to get ready for the swimsuit portion and reading the news to stay on top of current events, pageant preparations can be really tiring. To top it all off, one of the requirements in the Miss America system is that you raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network, a worthy and amazing cause; the work never stops. It’s meaningful and rewarding work, but it’s not for the faint of heart. The women who compete are full time students, or work full time jobs and they still manage to get all of their preparations done while slaying their everyday lives. Many of these women make the Dean’s List at their respective universities, they’re working in extremely competitive fields, they’re spreading awareness for their platforms, and they’re doing it all in heels.
Okay, so you hate the swimsuit part of the competition? I get that. I, too, don’t necessarily think that relying on the visual of a woman’s body to determine her “lifestyle and fitness” is fair. If it were up to me, it would change, but the way I see swimsuit is like this: if I can stand up in front of an audience and a panel of judges, and say I’m comfortable with my body, I’m proud of who I am and I can work what God gave me, then that’s enough for me. Maybe I won’t win swimsuit, maybe I will, but that’s why it’s the smallest percentage of the score anyway. It’s not the focus, so arguments that are centered around that one part of the competition aren’t seeing the whole picture.
Pageants are a celebration of women and their accomplishments and should be treated as such. It’s not everyday that I, a 20 year old woman in Washington, D.C. can walk into a room full of highly accomplished, well-respected Washingtonians for my interview (another pageant requirement) and be asked what I think of important issues like: our nation’s foreign policy, domestic issues and this year’s election, and have those people be genuinely interested in hearing what I have to say. That doesn’t happen often enough in “the real world” so pageants providing this outlet for women should be applauded. Plus, the on-stage question is the ultimate public speaking opportunity. You have a few seconds to formulate an answer to a question that can be about literally anything. Nerve wracking much?!
The talent portion of the pageant is a chance to showcase a skill that you may not have the chance to share on a regular basis. I mean, I’d venture to say that most of us don’t get to serenade audiences on the reg or bust a move somewhere other than Uncle Gus’ wedding anniversary party. It’s an exhilarating and empowering feeling to get up on the stage and pour your heart and soul out in the form of art. I’m getting excited just thinking about it!
So maybe I’m not what your stereotypical beauty queen looks like, but that’s why pageantry is so dope. You don’t have to be a cookie cutter. You’re supposed to be yourself, an original. Pageants provide women with the opportunity to be heard, to be celebrated and to be applauded for being who they are. So this year when the Miss America competition rolls around, I hope we choose to focus on the good. I hope we choose to commend the women who worked so hard to get up on that stage, rather than condemning them for their decision and desire to be there. In doing so, I think we’ll all be a little surprised at just how much good really does come from these competitions. I'm proud to be a pageant girl, thank you and world peace.
