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Winners of beauty pageants become the benchmark of 'true beauty' for so many impressionable girls, but what are these really teaching our girls?
Winners of beauty pageants become the benchmark of ‘true beauty’ for so many impressionable girls, but what are these really teaching our girls?
I always thought that when I grew up, I would be as beautiful as one of the women I watched gliding across on TV during the miss world contest. I always used to dreamt of flawless skin, a perfect figure, and a perfect accent with a beautiful smile. But when I reached the age of 16 I clearly realised that I look way too different from them. I felt very sad about the fact that I would never fit in the society standards of beauty; as a result I didn’t love and accept myself.
It took almost a decade to understand that the real beauty is not having pretty face or a perfect figure or a perfect smile or flawless skin, but that beauty lies in mind. During that decade I didn’t have a very good time in school or college, as constant bullying and body shaming stopped me from interacting with others, and I landed up with very few friends.
I inherit my skin colour, my hair type from my parents, but people (who don’t really have any business with it) find so many flaws, and judge me. One of my classmates calls me Ma Kali, another one thinks I need some ‘polishing’ (am I furniture?).
I remember that once I came across a video of an Instagram model who wore corsets for almost 24 hours for a thin waist. I just imagine how her organs got squished; knowing or unknowingly she is damaging her health. She went under the knife for 20 times just to achieve the perfect figure and perfect nose, but still wants some change. All I want to tell her is, “embrace yourself – beauty is not about achieving society standards, make your own.”
I have no problem with those who want to change to match society standards – its their choice, no matter how misguided, but this is the way I am.
I’m not ashamed to look the way I am. At times, I didn’t care, and all I wanted was to secure a job while still in college, and as I planned, I got into the top MNC of the country. I came far away from those who bullied me, and till now I hardly in touch with them.
So the word ‘beauty pageant’ is very confusing, and in my opinion, is wrong in so many ways; what are the things we’re teaching our girls?
Anyone can be beautiful irrespective of their height, weight, body proportion, skin colour.
Have you ever seen a beauty pageant contestant without make up, without high heels, only speaking their native language, or a fat, short or disabled girl? These beauty pageants are setting wrong society standards. I am sure they don’t wake up, like, drop dead beautiful.
First lesson we’re giving girls: Physical beauty is everything. If you are fat, dark skinned, short, don’t have makeup, straighten your hair you are not consider as beautiful. You should be bullied for not meeting the society standard.
Beauty pageants show us it’s absolutely worth starving to show off your bones. Can a person even do hard jobs with such appetite? most of the beauty pageant contestants suffer anemia sometimes they fainted on the stage.
Second lesson we’re giving girls: You cannot take a hardworking career or if you do not show off your bones you are not beautiful.
The contestants go through cleaning up, rubbing, hair removing, brushing, bleaching their face and body, makeup, and so much more. Sometimes these methods are painful. But this is how ‘real’ beauty get selected.
Third lesson we’re giving girls: Beauty can only come with pain.
They let you mingle with some kids for a short time and ask you some questions; this is how they judge how kind hearted you are. Is that much time enough to know someone’s true nature? It’s like short meeting session before in an arranged marriage where after speaking with a stranger for some time, you decide to marry them.
Fourth lesson we’re giving girls: It’s OK to just ‘show’ that you’re good, does not matter how you really feel or are.
After winning the pageant most of the beauty Queens don’t do anything other than posting/ posing their very well dressed vacation pictures. How many of them keep their word after saying all that in the Q & A session?
In my opinion the name should be changed from miss beauty pageant winner at to something else like miss after polishing straightening rubbing brushing bleaching. Can we do anything to teach our upcoming generation the true meaning of beauty?
Image source: YouTube
I am a ordinary woman studied in a all girls school. Love to cook, eat, sing, dance, write, travel,drive, sleep, dream. Busy raising my son so left my job in a leading MNC and read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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