Racism In Beauty Pageants
64When I first started pageants, it was the greatest thing. I soon started planning on competing in Miss America. It didn't take me long to come across Miss Black America. I quickly looked for a white only pageant. I came across Miss Latina or Miss Latin America, Miss Asian, even a Miss Gay but there was no Miss White.
I pondered that and it has crossed my mind over the past several years. People push for equality but they still push separation. I think it's great that other races get to celebrate their history. However, I believe that there is reverse racism. This means that not only can whites be racist but all races could be and are.
The main reason I started this hub is for a few reasons.
1) Pageants are very close to my heart as they have made me the person I am today and were sometimes the only thing that kept me going.
2) I believe that everyone should treat everyone equally. That means no one should receive special privileges that others do not.
3) A 'white' girl (who is Hawaiian, not white) won Miss Hampton University and there is a huge controversy over it.
It amazes me that people will say things like "whites always look out for their own". Two of the judges were former state winners from Miss USA. They know what will win. This girl was good on stage among other competitions and truly deserved it. If they want equality as so many scream out, especially with our first black president, then why would they cause so many problems? Some students are asking that her crown be taken away because she is not black. Sorry but no where in the rules does it state that they have to be black.
So what would happen if a 'white only' pageant was started? People say that there already are for pageants such as Miss Irish. However, that's not true. If they were part Irish and part Asian or another race, they could still compete. I have yet to come across a 'white only' pageant. I think that it would become a media frenzy and protest would begin. The pageant would be called racist and eventually would be forced to shut down.
So where is the equality. Is it only the whites that are being told to be color blind and other races can still be racist? What's your take on it?
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Comments
It really is depressing. I don't think that racism will ever end. I think one reason is people are afraid of others that don't look like them. There are so many other reasons but who knows. At least I don't think it will be resolved in my lifetime.
I have asked this same question many, many times!
Well, I understand your point. However, you have to remember the past discrimination against these ethnic groups in the last 50-70 years and even previously. Asian Americans, African Americans, and other minorities in America were not allowed to enter pageants such as "Miss America" because there was a rule within the pageant that disallowed it. Therefore, they made their own pageants to positively represent themselves in society. It was used as a tool for assimilation, and it helped many positive images of ethnic minorities stream into the media. They probably still occur today as a representation for past racism and to further celebrate their culture. It would be rather irrelevent to form a "Caucasian-American" pageant, when so many people of the caucasian ethnicity have been winning pageants such as "Miss America" for years. I believe, we should celebrate this unique diversity that encompasses America and look back on our past, recognize it, then think about how far we have came as a society in only a short amount of time. These ethnic-minority pageants are a symbol of their identity of dual-culturalism that should be acknowledged and furthered for many years.
I agree Ummmm3. However, All of the previously white only pageants that did not allow other races now allow all. So in that sense, the other pageants still only allow their race. My main point is that we would not be ALLOWED to make a white only pageant. Can you imagine what would happen if we did?
lorlie6 says:
2 months ago
I think you're right, pageantgirl, there is such idiotic sensitivity in all races that I believe racism may never end. Depressing, huh?
Thanks for the courage to bring it up!