While we have our personal favorite queens, it does not mean we have to discredit and dethrone those who have earned their place
Beauty queens don’t get enough credit. While these women have different experiences in pageantry training—whether they started as young as 12 years old, in their mid-20s, or 30 years old—it’s not just walking down the runway and looking pretty. Trained for months, perhaps even years, beauty queens have gone through grueling training in five-inch heels, practicing the perfect smile, walking back and forth in rooms to get that memorable walk, and learning how to answer mind-boggling questions in less than a minute.
They don’t have it easy, especially when they come into the beauty pageant world knowing that they will be presented on a chopping block that is the stage, in front of not just the highly qualified judges but under the scrutiny of the audience. The crown is not just a symbol of their victory, but it is a testament to their talent, skills, months of training, and unwavering dedication to amplifying the voices of the minority.
Miss Universe’s Goal for Women Empowerment
One of the missions of Miss Universe is to offer female empowerment regardless of their background, race, and culture. It is not only a competition that crowns a woman of her beauty and brain, but an opportunity for women to come together and support each other as each one uses their platform to amplify their advocacies.
The pageant could change not just the life of the crowned, but the people the queen advocates for. With the organization promoting confidence, leadership, and philanthropy, they are already role models for representing their nation.
Chelsea Manalo Earned Her Crown
While Miss Universe Philippines’ journey was cut short in the Miss Universe stage, it doesn’t erase the fact that she was chosen to represent the Philippines. The Miss Universe Philippines organization praised her for not only her grace and her compassion but also her prevailing authenticity, which made her stand out on the Miss Universe Philippines pageant.
From the moment she was crowned Miss Universe Philippines, all her dedication and training paid off. Representing the Philippines is a feat alone, an honor to carry on her shoulders, along with being an advocate for Indigenous empowerment. Whether or not Manalo made it to the top 12, top 5, or not even to the top 30, she earned her crown, and no one—pageant expert, blogger, or audience—should say otherwise.
RELATED: Chelsea Manalo Reigns as the First Miss Universe Asia
Year after year, pageant after pageant, people are bound to have not just harmful, but nasty comments towards other contestants. Unfortunately, this has become a normal occurrence, especially in world where we have to put everything on social media without regard for the consequences. It’s a saddening sight to see some people bringing other women down just because they don’t fit the standard of what society deems the “beauty queen,” which doesn’t align with Miss Universe’s mission of empowering women at all.
The Difference Between Criticism and Bullying
At what point does criticism become outright bullying? It is one thing to criticize one’s pasarela or their answer in the Q&A segment, even thinking of ways for a better performance, however, once comparison is present—especially comparing beauty, then it’s no longer a criticism, is it? While everyone is entitled to their opinion, it doesn’t mean that these opinions should be shared in public, nor does anything warrant an opinion.
Earlier, Miss Universe Philippines released a statement that condemns bullying and any comments that unfair, hurtful and dismissive of Chelsea Manalo’s accomplishments.While we all have our own opinions to share, it must be remembered that there is a stark difference between constructive criticism and bullying.
“For too long, we have allowed such behavior to be tolerated because bashers and haters have been an accepted part of social media. But in reality, we still have a choice to normalize it or to speak up against it.”
– Miss Universe Philippines
In a society where social media is prevalent, especially when one is an influential personality with a certain number of followers like influencers, bloggers, and content creators, we must be responsible social media users.
Featured Image and Photos: AHTISA MANALO, CHELSEA MANALO, & MISS UNIVERSE (via Instagram) CATRIONA GRAY (via Facebook)
