What are the reasons why beauty pageant doesn't empower women?

Hmmmm answered this question beautifully above, but I just wanted to add this thought -





When little boys are growing up, they are often told that they can grow up to be the President. When little girls grow up, they are most often told they can grow up to be Miss America.


How do you think that affects the way that little girls think about themselves and their minds versus their bodies?What are the reasons why beauty pageant doesn't empower women?
Many feminists regard beauty contests for women as ';cattle markets';, degrading to both viewer and contestant, which enforce society's objectification of women.





Critics have particularly objected to swimsuit rounds, in which contestants wear only swimwear and high-heeled shoes. In addition, the common view of ';beauty'; in these pageants as represented exclusively by unusually thin women has been questioned. In response, Mo'Nique's Fat Chance, a beauty pageant for overweight women, has aired on the Oxygen network since 2005.





Many national 'Miss' pageants have come under heavy criticism and some have been the subjects of direct action. High-profile complaints were made against the Miss America contest in the late 1960s, and contests in Finland attracted controversy for requiring contestants to wear only lingerie, some of which was diaphanous enough to clearly display genitalia. Many of these contests were held in venues where inebriated males made grossly inappropriate comments and even sought bodily contact with the contestants. After one contestant refused to comply, public debate forced the organisers to abolish this requirement.





However, the lingerie shows were reintroduced in 2007鈥攊nitially with contestants wearing black bodysuits underneath the lingerie, but this was strongly disfavoured by those involved, and shows now compromise by having revealing daytime shows but using bodysuits for night shows, at which audiences are more often drunk and unruly.





Contests regularly attract demonstrators, particularly if they violate local religious or cultural practices. In Nigeria, for example, many Muslims viewed Western-style beauty contests as immoral, because the female participants are typically not dressed modestly. In 2002, the journalist Isioma Daniel wrote an article criticising Nigerian Muslims for their objections to the 2002 Miss World contest, which was to be held in Nigeria, and suggesting that the prophet Mohammed would not have objected to the contest, and ';would probably have chosen a wife from one of them';. Public rioting in response to this article killed 200 people, and a fatwa was issued against Daniel. Consequently, the event was relocated to London.





After the murder of JonBen茅t Ramsey in 1996, concerns have been raised about the propriety of beauty pageants for children, and the psychological effects they may have on young contestants. Critics see the ';Little Miss...'; genre as a possible lure for pedophiles, although there is little documented evidence of this. In reaction, there has been a surge in more age-appropriate pageants for children, without provocative costumes, flashy d茅cor, and heavy makeup. HBO aired a documentary about child beauty pageants titled Living Dolls: The Making of a Child Beauty Queen in 2001, which won an Emmy. In 2006, the film, Little Miss Sunshine was released, portraying a dysfunctional family on a road trip taking the youngest member of the family to a beauty pageant. The film earned critical acclaim all over the world, earning plenty of awards and nominations, including four Academy Award nominations and winning two.What are the reasons why beauty pageant doesn't empower women?
Because it is setting a standard for beauty. Basically they say this is beauty become it or be ugly.





It makes women have to comform to what society wants for them, instead of becoming who they want to be.
they are only based on looks. you wont have your looks forever and girls in beauty pageants only base their life on their looks. so when they lose that what else do they have left...nothing. they focus so much on outer beauty they forget about inner beauty.
A woman should be proud of her accomplishments, not just her looks, interview ability and worst yet, her congeniality!


Prizes for being NICE! How pitiful.
When was the last time Miss America said something bright in an acceptance speech?





It's isn't about being intelligent or respectable, it's about looking hot in a bikini.





Yeehaw.
It probably empowers some women. I think the whole thing is odd.





I wouldn't mind watching a beauty pageant for men myownself!
Well, the not-so-good looking ones won't feel too empowered, if anything it would make them insecure.
if more women learned how to eat right and worked out, more of them would look like the pageant winners.then it would be empowering for them. problem solved
I don't know why it doesn't. They have a crown, a sceptre and men falling at their feet. Isn't that power?
Can you say ';meatmarket';?


How about ';objectification';?
It's called jealousy; a much more powerful emotion than most know.
Because only ONE contestant can win.





That leaves the other 20 or so feeling insecure.
one reason: its stupid.