Gender Stereotypes In Pageants

“Miss Rhode Island, please describe your idea of a perfect date.” The pageant host Stan Fields hands the mic to Miss United States Contestant Cheryl Fraiser. “That’s a tough one. I’d have to say April 25 because it’s not too hot, and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.” While this comedic line from the movie Miss Congeniality may be a light hearted joke, it is a sufficient portrayal of the stereotype a prevalent amount of the population hold of girls who compete in pageants or modeling events. Pageant girls are shallow and dumb. While in some cases this may be accurate, I have learned through personal experiences that most of the time, this is far from the truth. The girls that compete in pageants are some of the most passionate,

This is where you can begin to truly see the drive and reason for each woman being up on that stage. Equality. Human Trafficking. Body shaming. Domestic Abuse. Each and every woman on that stage is fighting for something different. They all have their eyes set on a goal that many may see as unreachable, but they see as a challenge. A challenge that pageants give them the drive to pursue, the voice to be heard, and the confidence to speak in front of large crowds about. This is what pageants are all about. The fallacy that pageants are all about beauty is a far-reaching stereotype. Every single day pageant women are striving to show that brains are a major part in taking home the crown. One example of this is World Miss University Katie Farr. Katie is the full package. She is a champion kick boxer, a model and actress, an aid worker, and a national queen. Katie’s IQ of 140 soars above the population’s average IQ of 90. She has done charity work in South Africa, and has a degree in politics. Before competing in her first pageant, Katie says that she had the misconception that many people have. She states that “Before doing Miss England I thought that beauty contests were all about daft proclamations about "world peace" and all the rest of it.” After competing, she was able to recognize that pageants are a way to showcase women's drive, brains, and success. Along with that, pageants also allow women the voice they need to make a difference in the