How long are we going to we going to beat our chests and protest against beauty pageants as a pagan ritual for showcasing women as objects. It is the mindset of the people that has to change and no amount of protesting can do that.
A protest cannot herald a change. The change has to come from within. Participation in a beauty contest is a personal choice, both of the parents and that of the girl herself. If we want to protest at such pageants then why do we idol worship a Sushmita Sen and an Aishwarya Rai, who bring home international acclaim? Why is Mallika Sherawat considered sexy (I don’t think so but my tradition respecting mother does. )
Everywhere around us we see the hypocrisy - of people - the obsession with beauty without a thought to what lies beneath the surface. Pick up the Sunday supplement – Matrimonial Times of the Times of India and scan the pages to see the attributes people look for in mates these days - slim, beautiful, tall girl. How is this criterion any different from the selection criteria of a beauty pageant? Effectively we have turned even the simple match making process into a selection procedure for a beauty contest.
No one is more to blame that us. We are major contributors to this phenomenon. Every time we pick up a fairness cream or a magazine with a beautiful face on the cover we are endorsing the view that beauty is all that matters. I mean how many magazines have you picked up in the last year that had Ravina Raj Kohli’s face on it or which was the last advertisement you saw which had Kiran Bedi endorsing a product (and would you be sufficiently motivated to try out the product). Or does the public even know who these women are in the first place. Our society has no place for achievers only for beautiful bodies and faces making the headline.
Sandra bullock in Ms. Congeniality - a classic example. When asked what she would like to see change in the world her heartfelt answer is met with a cold response as opposed to the ever popular ‘World Peace’ answer. Then there was Priyanka Chopra who misheard a question and parroted the politically correct answer ‘Mother Teresa’. No surprise that she won the crown inspite of that faux pas. This brings me to the one woman who we booed off stage when she did give a heartfelt answer – Madhu Sapre. When asked what she would like to change about her country, instead of the usual well rehearsed, ‘ Eradication of Poverty’ answer, she championed the cause of sports ( a fact I remember every four years when we have a dismal showing at the Olympics) She missed the crown but won a place my heart for sure, as someone who can speak her mind.
So instead of blaming the society and screaming yourself hoarse on the evils of pageants look deeper into the issue and I’m sure you will not like what you see. As for the traditions and culture of ancient India that you were talking about – Culture wise the kamasutra and the ancient temples along with a peek into the Ajanta and Ellora caves should be sufficient as a reminder.
Tradition - our tradition demands that a widow jump into her husband's funeral pyre.
Or can be a divorcee on the whimsical repetiton of 'Talaq'.
Or when young baby girls are left either in dumps or on hill tops to die.
or when parents seel their souls for money to marry off a young daughter.
Even religion and it interpretation can make you hang your head in shame -
The agni pariksha - or the four marraiges that men are allowed.
Really the issues if you want to cry hoarse about are a plenty
Just pick your with care.
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