This morning i received an email with this link title: "
Why I hate Miss Rwanda". Of course i wondered why anyone would hate a beauty pageant event? This was of interest to me since i have loved and watched all the Miss universe/World i have been able to follow. Compounded to it, i have an unhealthy fascination with beauty. - all kind of beauty. Without exaggerating, in early 2008 - I was part of a team that tried to collaborate with
Miss South Africa office for a conjoined event at our campus. So yes .. i love the Miss event big deal - even if i do not always agree with people criteria of selection on what constitute beauty.
As i read the link above and the argument presented, i did not really find cause for hatred. The articles could have as well been entitled "Why i am displeased by Miss Rwanda". The article raises interesting point, but nothing serious that would justify as form of hatred against the organization. Below is the comment i made to some point raised on that blogg:
I am not sure i agree completely with this article since I do not HATE Miss Rwanda. There is more questions asked than answers in this article. Certainly, pouring 120 million on Beauty pageant (still trying to get a hang on the criteria for beauty on this Miss Event) when people are wondering about the 'Agaciro Fund', should give us a pause indeed.
However:
I) As for '
Do the organizers understand the ramifications of teaching young women, that the easiest way to win a new car and attract certain notoriety is to have a certain standard of beauty and be able to sashay down a catwalk in an evening gown?'
I am not sure that they are teaching anything by doing that. They were just rewarding the winner. This is not more harmful than the Telecom companies or the Brewing Companies or Banks giving away free cars, Fridges, Houses to winners of non-intellectual contest - just trying not to use the word 'Luck'. Are we saying that those organizations (Banks, telecom, etc.) are teaching people that they should rely on luck to get what they want?
II) "
what does this beauty pageant add to our society or the advancement of young women?"
Not much, except reminding folks that womanhood in Rwanda is celebrated in many ways than one. Gender equality at work, they'll tell us i suppose.
III) "
But, hold on a second, since when have young women become tourist attractions?!"
Maybe they should be. After all, we are told that we only have human resources as our natural wealth, don't they? - smile
IV) "
While this contest will give our winner the opportunity to travel the world, what is the overall damage at the end of the day?"
The overall damage will be that we will lose the Miss World contest at an international level. That is guaranteed. And Rwandans hate to loose. That will be a hard pill to swallow, but we will have to in few months.
V) "
Once you begin to dictate what is the ideal height and weight of women, you run the risk of young girls concentrating more on how they look, rather than the more important things in life."
I am not a specialist in Rwandan girls, but aren't we assuming too much here? I mean, do we really think that our girls do not already concentrate on their looks? And to be honest, since the Miss Rwanda has for purpose to celebrate both 'extravagant' beauty and intelligence (judging by the questions asked to the Miss) - it won't be fair that only one aspect of it is taken as the representative of the Miss Rwanda influence on our girls, namely physical attractiveness. Both physical attractiveness and intellectual performance seemed to have been the purpose of the showbiz (though i ain't confident they succeeded in any of the two - but that is another story for another time).
VI) "
the Ministry of Culture and RDB has shown that flaunting yourself in a bikini and a nice dress will get your more recognized than your other natural talents."
Maybe they have not shown that, but rather they have simply recognized this. We may not like it but our world will always value, celebrate and overpay those with natural gifts, talents, natural beauty/physical attractiveness above those who have worked long and hard on their character. It is not fair, nor is it reasonable i concede but this is the world in which we live in. We do that not only on beauty Pageant, but as well in Music awards with all our emerging celebrities, and soon in sports and so on.
The question i am wondering with regard to this article is: why should we value more sports, artistic talents as advocated than natural beauty or attractiveness? None of them are intellectually driven by essence to my knowledge, nor are they part of our core-character infrastructure neither.
Thanks for the courage in psychoanalyzing this issue though - Janet K. - but i have to say that the argument presented has not yet proven to be convincing enough to do away with this Miss Rwanda event yet.
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