Controversies befall the Miss Universe Pageant 2015 and it hits us here, locally. The question is, "What is this doing in education and world politics?"
"World peace" is the answer most likely to be given by a beauty queen contestant when asked: "What would you like to see in the world?" Most of us really do want peace on Earth, but answering the prompt with such naïve, lingual simplicity would make one's intelligence questionable in today's world where harmony on earth seems a thing of fairy tales-not even possible in the world of the Miss Universe Pageant, where makeup magic twinkles her wand over most flaws.
But, not even mascara or could make the political strife between two countries, Lebanon and Israel, less visible this past week during their stay in Miami.
During a Miss Universe event in Wynwood last week, Miss Israel, Doron Matalon, sat next to Miss Lebanon, along with Miss Slovenia and Miss Japan, and she took a "selfie." The picture posted on Instagram later sparked controversy as the two countries are struggling. The attention garnered from the event made Miss Lebanon, Saly Greige miss a media event. And, this isn't the only controversy to befall on the pageant.
This year's Miss Universe Pageant 2015 will be held at none other than world-class institution of higher learning, Florida International University.
Faculty is angry that FIU spent about $550,000 to serve as the site for the Donald Trump-owned, Miss Universe pageant.
According to reports in the Miami Herald and Miami New Times, some of the funds were taken from women's athletics, while the rest will go to updating the Panther Arena, where the pageant will take place. The arena wasn't built for cameras and lights. Taking support from women's athletics to host a beauty pageant isn't in the best interest of current students.
Faculty concerns are founded on the notion that beauty pageants objectify women and perpetuate the notion that women should be judged on their looks in society; even their body measurements are considered. No one would probably ever allow a male beauty pageant to be hosted at a university (nor would many men participate), so the double standard of objectification is clear-women continue to gain huge rewards from winning these beauty-based competitions; some of the prizes of the contest involve pretty penny-heavy scholarships along with a perceived level of importance.
But faculty are right; educations of higher learning should be the models for our society of evolution of intellect not looks, under the assumption we are all striving for a more just world-what kind of world are we striving for? I think that is the question. The concerns led the FIU President Mark Rosenburg to distance the university from the Donald Trump owned contest and organization. He removed the FIU logo from the pageant's website and is no longer called a sponsor.
Now run by the Miss Universe Organization, the pageant, in 1952, branched from the Miss America pageant after a dispute; the winner didn't want to pose in a swimsuit, which was manufactured by Pacific Mills. So the company started Miss Universe and Miss USA as well.
Obviously, originating from a clothing and swimsuit manufacturer makes the pageant rooted in looking good in a swimsuit, whatever that means-most of the contestants are stick thin. In fact, one of the main events of the show is the swimsuit competition. Other competitions are also of a body-focused area-namely the evening gown portion. An interview portion was once introduced to include intellectual component, making the contest not sexist. But, in 2000, four years after Donald Trump, who has had his fare share of controversies, got the pageant, the interview portion was dropped in the semifinals, and the contestants only compete in swimsuits and gowns.
But let's get it straight! These girls are so pretty it hurts, but they would be just as "purtty" without all that on, reading a book or doing something brilliant besides looking good in a swimsuit. Now, all that's fine, I guess, if you want to do it outside of where those former things should be the ones measured, an institution of higher education.
The 63rd annual Miss Universe Pageant will be televised at 8/7c on NBC from FIU at Doral-Miami on January 25, 2015.
