We, Filipinos are beauty pageant-crazed! From the time a young girl recognises beauty, she could be initiated into beauty pageants in the school, barangay, community, noon time show, or the more established pageant institutions. We protect our young girls and ladies so that mosquitoes don’t feast on the flawless legs, that their face won’t discolour under the sun (cue the umbrella and the sun block) or break out with zits, and that their figure will develop into the shape of a coca-cola bottle. Of course, beauty pageants have also been penetrated by men and transvestites, showing that pageantry, beauty, wit and poise are no longer the domain of women.
In Melbourne, we hand out crowns and sceptres left and right throughout the year to acknowledge Filipino beauty, showcase Filipino talent and wit and uphold values that represent our culture. We support our candidates, buy tickets which help them win the crown, and enjoy a night of glitter and glamour. We engage our friends to support our candidates and cheer them on throughout the pageant. Ideally, beauty pageants encourage friendship and camaraderie as among their ideals. However, what could be an event for highlighting beauty can make the wrong turn to its ugly side.
We usually hear in Filipino politics, nobody loses but was just cheated. Sometimes, this attitude is also present in the beauty pageant arena. Recently, the results of beauty/modeling competitons and manner of conduct have been put in question, rendering the reputation of organisers as well as the competitors on the line. What should have been a happy occasion turned a bitter tune when supporters or competitors question the results and the processes involved in running pageants.
Holding a beauty pageant is no joke these days. Organisers hire trainers, make up artists, choreographers, contract fashion houses to glam up the candidates and engage luminaries in beauty and business as judges to give everyone a spectacular program. But their responsibility is beyond the show, the more important accountability of organisers is the integrity of the competition—to show transparency in judging, accuracy in the computation of scores, honour the commitment made to candidates before the competition and provide equal and fair exposure to all competitors regardless of their stance during the pre-pageant day.
Meanwhile, joining a beauty pageant is no walk in the park either. Candidates go through grueling rehearsals perfecting their walk, brush up on knowledge and form opinions on issues and learn to articulate them with poise and without cracking under extreme pressure and glam up and put on happy, smiling faces for social functions despite the fatigue. They are ambassadors of beauty indeed. However, beyond representing beauty, candidates should also symbolise integrity. They should compete fairly and should not engage in actions that malign other candidates just to get ahead of the rest. When the judges call out the name of the winner, candidates who failed to take home the crown should humbly accept the decision of the judges.
These days, we take beauty pageants too seriously, or in our local parlance, “masyadong kinakarir”, sometimes to the point that we forget why we are holding it. Beauty pageants should be a venue to celebrate positive values, to make good memories and allow the beauty of truthfulness, honesty and kindness to radiate from everyone involved. If pride and personal grandiose were to take over, beauty will then be rendered meaningless. Organisers, supporters, candidates should realise that true beauty is beyond what our eyes see. When we throw our integrity to the door, we all become ugly in the beauty race.
