Beauty Pageants

[highlypotion]

I heard that Miss Colombia was in trouble for not wearing any underwear.

no underwear means no trouble

[GeneChing]

Spoiler alert

miss mexico andrea meza crowned miss universe 2021
after the pageant was delayed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a winner of the 2021 miss universe pageant was crowned on may 16, 2021.
By mike vulpo, kaitlin reilly may 16, 2021 8:09 pm

and we have a new miss universe!

After more than a year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, the miss universe competition was finally held on may 16 at the seminole hard rock hotel & casino in hollywood, fla. It was hosted by mario lopez and former miss universe olivia culpo, who won the crown in 2012, and featured a special performance by luis fonsi.

Taking home the ultimate crown this year was miss mexico andrea meza who wowed the selection community with her beauty and brains.

During the final statement round, miss mexico was asked to address the topic of changing beauty standards. "we live in a society that more and more is more advanced and as we have advanced as a society, we have advanced with stereotypes," she shared via translator. "nowadays, beauty is not only the way we look. For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirits, but in our hearts and the way we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you are not valuable."

and just minutes before, miss mexico also faced the final question round where she was asked to share how she would have handled the covid-19 pandemic.

"i believe there is not a perfect way to handle this hard situation such as covid-19," she explained. "however, i believe that what i would have done was create the lockdown even before everything was that big because we lost so many lives and we cannot afford that. We have to take care of our people. That's why i would have taken care of them since the beginning."


benjamin askinas
before the show, paula m. Shugart, who serves as the president of the miss universe organization, addressed the pandemic and how the pageant was staying safe. In a statement, she explained, "we have spent months planning and preparing safety precautions to develop this edition of miss universe—one that will be memorable, special and totally innovative."

beauty queens from 74 countries and territories competed in tonight's pageant, however just 21 contestants advanced to the final round. After first competing in the swimsuit contest, which you can see photos from here, 10 moved on to the evening gown competition. Five contestants were selected to participate in the question and answer round.

The last time the miss universe pageant was held was in 2019, when miss south africa, aka zozibini tunzi, took home the ultimate prize. Miss puerto rico madison anderson was the first runner-up and miss mexico sofía aragón was the second runner-up.


rodrigo varela/getty images
at the time, zozibini really impressed the judges with her answer to the question, "what is the most important thing we should be teaching girls today?"

she replied, "i think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It's something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time. Not because we don't want to, but because what society has labelled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world."

of passing the torch to her successor, zozibini said in a statement, "i always knew that my reign as miss universe would be unlike any other. While it was nothing like what i had imagined my year to be, this year has opened doors for me i could never have imagined. I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect virtually with people all over the world and elevate the causes i care most about."

miss universe 2021 airs sunday night at 8 p.m. On fyi.

bummer, the images are blocked.
Here:

[GeneChing]

Miss France pageant faces lawsuit for requiring all contestants to be at least 5-foot-5, unmarried and child-free
Updated 20th October 2021

The five finalists (LtoR) Miss Guyane Alicia Aylies, Miss Languedoc-Roussillon Aurore Kichenin, Miss Tahiti Vaea Ferrand, Miss Lorraine Justine Camara and Miss Guadeloupe Morgane Thérésine, pose on stage in swimsuit during the Miss France 2017 beauty contest on December 17, 2016 in Montpellier. / AFP / Pascal GUYOT (Photo credit should read PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty Images)
Credit: Pascal Guyot/AFP/Getty Images

Written by
Leah Dolan, CNN
Miss France, the country's 101-year-old beauty pageant, is being sued by a feminist activist group and three unsuccessful applicants over alleged discriminatory entry requirements.
An appeal has been filed against the pageant's parent company, Endemol Production, by Osez le féminisme (Dare to be feminist), who in a news statement issued on Tuesday said Miss France contestants perform a work service and therefore should be protected from prejudice under French employment law.
Discrimination against employees on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, family situation or genetic characteristics is considered unlawful in France. A 2021 application form for the national beauty pageant revealed candidates would not be considered if they were not at least 5-foot-5, or if they had ever been married or had children.

Miss Guadeloupe Clemence Botino is crowned Miss France 2020. Credit: Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images
Further disqualifiers for potential contestants include wearing weaves or hair extensions, having tattoos and smoking. The application also asks for clothing size, and it requests that prospective beauty queens do not undergo any major physical changes after they are accepted into the competition. Failing to comply could land the contestant with a 5,000-euro ($5,822) fine, according to Miss France's terms and conditions.
While the mission statement of the competition is to find "the young woman most representative of beauty and elegance," the strict registration requirements mean contenders for the crown are somewhat limited.
"Beyond exploiting women for economic gain, this contest, through the violations of the law of which it is guilty, has a negative and retrograde impact on the whole of society," wrote Osez le féminisme in its news statement. "It is high time Endemol Production finally removes all sexist clauses from its regulations."
Miss France and Endemol Productions have not responded to CNN's request for comment.
Alyssa Ahrabare, the head of Osez le féminisme, wrote on social media that Miss France currently "feeds stereotypes that stand in the way of equality."
"The competition rules are discriminatory: marital status, age, attitudes, choices of women, everything is subject to injunctions from another time! Candidates must be single and respect the rules of "elegance", stop these sexist rules!" she added.
The three applicants involved in the lawsuit against Miss France were rejected from the competition for their "age, height, drinking and smoking in public and having tattoos," Ahrabare told CNN.

Suzanne Angly, Miss France 1969, posing in a bathing suit. The competition began in 1920. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
This is not the first time in recent years that the pageant world has been criticized for its outdated codes of conduct and culture. In 2013, France decided to ban competitions for children under 16 over concerns of promoting the hyper-sexualization of minors. But few countries followed suit, despite an accruing number of petitions. In 2018, model Veronika Didusenko had her Miss Ukraine title revoked when organizers found out she was a mother. Miss India came under scrutiny, too, in 2019 for perpetuating colorism by exclusively choosing fair-skinned contestants. And earlier this year, Miss United States of America (a separate pageant to Miss USA) won the right to ban transgender women from competing.
While there have been some instances of positive change -- in 2019, Zozibini Tunzi became the first Black woman with natural hair to win Miss Universe, and last year India crowned their third Miss Transqueen -- progress is often clouded by pageantry's controversial history.
Yet appetite for beauty contests, at least in France, appears to be on the up. Miss France 2021, which aired December 2020, received the best television ratings since 2006 with 8.6 million viewers tuning in to watch the crowning, according to local reports. The next Miss France competition is set to take place December 11.
Top image: Five finalists pose on stage for the swimsuit segment of Miss France 2017.

Times they are a'changin'

[GeneChing]

[GeneChing]

Beauty-Pageants
Breastaurants

[GeneChing]

Woman dubbed ‘Miss Garbage’ wins Miss Universe Thailand 2022

Ryan General
6 hours ago

Anna Sueangam-iam, a 23-year-old woman known as “Miss Garbage” due to her being the daughter of former garbage collectors, was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2022 on Saturday night.

As this year's Miss Universe Thailand, Sueangam-iam received the new "Power of Resilience" crown by renowned jeweler Mouawad and several prizes including 1 million baht (approximately $27,663), a condominium and a new car.

Born in Bangkok, she reportedly played with toys her parents found in the trash while working for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

A woman dubbed “Miss Garbage” for being the daughter of former garbage collectors is set to represent Thailand in the Miss Universe 2022 pageant.

Anna Sueangam-iam, 23, was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2022 on Saturday night, besting 28 other women vying for the title.

For the final Q&A session of the competition, Sueangam-iam was asked what she would do to empower people around the world who “feel hopeless.”

“You’re not the only ones facing despair,” she responded. “I used to be in despair too. We learn from our troubles to adapt and survive. I would call on all of you to have confidence in yourselves and rise to fight again. If I can, so can you.”



Despite winning the coveted title, Sueangam-iam was reportedly not popular among viewers and came in sixth with just 3.2 percent of public votes on the Miss Universe Thailand website. Thai Italian contestant Renita Veronica Pagano, who was the fourth runner-up, received 28.1 percent of public votes while Thai American contestant Nicolene Limsnukan, who was the first runner-up, got 25.2 percent.

Prior to Sueangam-iam’s win, social media users cast doubts about her chances as she “does not have a foreign parent” unlike other contestants who are “luk khrueng,” a colloquial Thai term that refers to a person of mixed heritage.

“I think I will do my best,” she told local platform Komchadluek Online in an earlier interview. “I think being luk khrueng or not is not the main criteria to being chosen as Miss Thailand Universe.”

On top of the new “Power of Resilience” crown crafted by luxury jeweler Mouawad, the new Miss Universe Thailand also received several prizes including 1 million baht (approximately $27, 663), a condominium and a new car.

Born on November 10, 1998, Sueangam-iam grew up in Bangkok in poverty and was was bullied by classmates who would call her “Miss Garbage.” She reportedly played with toys her parents found in the trash while they worked for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Through hard work and determination, Sueangam-iam was able to study hotel and tourism management at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree.

She is now hoping to obtain Thailand’s third Miss Universe crown after Porntip Nakhirunkanok who won the title in 1988 and Apasra Hongsakula who won it in 1965.

Featured Image via TPING

Nothing cattier than a beauty pageant, I imagine...

[GeneChing]

The network showed the national costume of Viktoriia Apanasenko for the Miss Universe
CULTURE The Odessa Journal 21 December, 2022 4 Comments 11,355 2 minutes read


This costume is called “Warrior of Light”. Ukrainian costume designer Lesya Patoka created it.
Photo: @danilyukart

The network showed the costume of the winner of the Miss Ukraine Universe, Victoriia Apanasenko.

It is known that the costume of Victoria was named “Warrior of Light”. The designer of the incredible look was Lesya Patoka, who collaborated with Jamala, ONUKA, and other famous personalities.




The «Warrior of Light» costume symbolizes Ukraine nation’s fight against darkness. Like Archangel Michael, who defends Ukraine with a sword, it protects us. Viktoriia has a weapon in her hands, her body is covered in armor, and at the same time, she carries light through the darkness that came to our peaceful lands with the aggressor.

The monolithic jumpsuit symbolizes armor and wraps Viktoriia like a second skin.

The white dress consists of a stylization of a vyshyvanka with puffy sleeves and a skirt that has more than 10 meters of fabric to it. The headwear is decorated with spikelets, which are traditional in Ukraine. Symbolic wings are burned in battle, framed in blue and gold armor in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, and decorated with various mirror ornaments, opened for the decisive battle.

Here is how Lesya Patoka herself commented on her work:

“It was very important for us to create the image of not just a beautiful, but also a strong-willed girl who personifies the whole of Ukraine – unbending, courageous, free. Despite all the difficulties and challenges, we coped with creating the image on time, because each of us is a Warrior in his business.”




“Warrior of Light” costume is a personification of the inner strength of Ukrainians, our courage, determination and love of freedom flowing in our veins. In this costume, I wanted to embed the idea that war cannot break our strength and discolor our hearts. Even on a fire, like a phoenix, Ukraine will blossom and shine with bright rays of kindness and faith,” says Viktoriya Apanasenko.

Lesya worked on the costume for four months to the sound of sirens and without electricity.

Victoria Apanasenko will present this outfit at the National Costume Show on January 11, 2023 in New Orleans, USA.

Beauty-Pageants
Sword-hotties

[Victor708S]

Zoe Sozo Bethel was so beautiful((
so sorry for her family

[GeneChing]

Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Dee comes out as bisexual: ‘I have so much more to offer’
May 29
Written by Sophie Perry

Miss Universe Philippines, Michelle Dee, has shared publicly that she is bisexual. (Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Privé Alliance)

Michelle Dee, the newly crowned Miss Universe Philippines, has publicly come out as bisexual, saying she is “attracted to all forms of beauty, all shapes and sizes”.

The 28-year-old, who is set to represent the Philippines at upcoming Miss Universe 2023 competition in El Salvador, told Mega Magazine that she has been bisexual “for as long as I can remember”.

The beauty queen made the decision to come out publicly after pictures resurfaced of her in her younger years, where she had more of a “boyish” style, leading people online to speculate about her identity.

“I have so much more to offer the world and the universe than how I identify myself,” she told the magazine, citing her advocacy for autism awareness as more important than her sexuality.

She is not the only LGBTQ+ woman in the pageant world, with Miss Argentina and Miss Puerto Rico tying the knot in 2022 and trans tycoon Jakapong “Anne” Jakrajutatip buying out the Miss Universe franchise for a cool $20 million in the same year.

Explaining the pressure she was under to share her sexuality with the world during the competition, she said: “This is not about me. This is about the cause I’m fighting, advocating for: autism awareness. That’s my main goal. My identity is not what I want to be remembered for.

“I felt like coming out during the competition would shock everyone, and cloud everyone’s judgement. I also wanted to do that within my own timeline, and it wasn’t the right time. Because I want all of my focus and everyone’s focus to be on all the good causes.”

She added: “I acknowledge that it was so malicious that I felt – and this applies to everyone – when somebody takes away your story, then you should take control of that narrative. Turn it around and make it an empowering story.

“So that’s what I’m doing. I feel that it’s so important when somebody tries to knock you down and use your past against you.

“We all have to realize that we’ve come such a long way to just let our past define us. Again, how old was I? That was 2014, and it’s 2023.”

Dee also told the magazine about her first experience of queer attraction, when she was around 12 years old.

She explained that she was close with a female family friend after moving back to the Philippines from the United States. One day, they were out together in town and her friend had to leave early, making her extremely upset – an experience she described as “weird”.

Dee mused: “Was it my love for our friendship or attraction? It was confusing. Who really knows the concept of love at 12 years old?”

Later, she felt a similar attraction for AI boyband member Ben Adams, an “‘aha!’ moment” which explained her feelings towards her friend.

“I was like, ‘Okay, it was the same kind of feeling’,” Dee said.

Dee was crowned Miss Universe Philippines on 13 May at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and will compete at the international competition in El Salvador at the end of the year.

She won Miss World Philippines 2019 and placed in the top 12 at the Miss World 2019 pageant in London.

Good for her.

[GeneChing]

First Chinese American wins Miss Utah pageant

via Facebook

BY AKEMI TAMANAHA
JUNE 12, 2023
Sarah Sun is officially the first Chinese American to be crowned Miss Utah. Sun entered the Miss Utah 2023 competition as Miss Aspen Hills and won the state title on Saturday, June 10.

According to ABC 4, the competition began on Thursday, June 8, and concluded Saturday evening. Forty-seven contestants were judged in five different categories: private interview, onstage conversation, health and fitness, evening gown, and talent. Sun is a classical pianist and performed “La Campanella” for the talent portion.

The new Miss Utah is currently a student at Brigham Young University, where she is studying music and international strategy and diplomacy, FOX 13 News reports. Her goal is to pursue a Juris Doctorate (a law degree) or an MBA from Harvard University.

“So my goal is to share love and light to those who are struggling and to show that anybody can achieve their dreams regardless of whether or not they fit into a mold,” Sun told FOX 13 News.

Sun will receive over $10,000 in scholarships. The Miss Utah Organization gave $70,000 in scholarships to contestants this year.

Each Miss Utah winner develops their own initiative to help the community. Sun’s initiative is “Reducing Recidivism Through Art Education,” ABC 4 reports. Its goal is to use art education to reduce the chance that an inmate released from prison will re-offend and return to prison.

“I’m so excited to serve because I don’t see this as a crown, but as a mission to help people and to love people,” Sun said during her speech to the other candidates at the afterparty, ABC 4 reports.

AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc. Please consider making a donation and following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. Information about interning, joining the staff or volunteering is here. We are supported by a grant from the California Library Commission and its Stop the Hate program.

Congratulations Sarah

[GeneChing]

Diversity begets racism.

Fox News host: new Miss America, Nina Davuluri, doesn’t ‘represent American values’
By Scott Kaufman
Monday, September 16, 2013 7:34 EDT



The crowning of Miss New York, Nina Davuluri, as Miss America should have been, to paraphrase her platform, a celebration of diversity through cultural competency. But in the hours after her victory, Twitter became a frank demonstration of American incompetence in matters relating to both ethnicity and geography.

“Well they just picked a Muslim for Miss America. That must’ve made Obama happy. Maybe he had a vote,” said one user.

“I am literally soo mad right now a ARAB won. #MissAmerica” wrote another.

It should go without saying that Davuluri, a Syracuse native of Indian descent, is neither Muslim nor an Arab. But according to Fox News Radio host Todd Starnes, the American-born Davuluri doesn’t “represent American values,” unlike the blonde-haired, blue-eyed contestant from Kansas, Theresa Vail.

This is not to say that Vail isn’t an unprecedented contestant in her own right: she’s spent five years in the Kansas Army National Guard and is double-majoring in chemistry and Chinese at Kansas State University. But, according to Starnes on Facebook, she lost because “the liberal Miss America judges were not interested in a gun-toting, deer-hunting, military veteran.”

But at least, from Starnes’s perspective, she was a lady, “although I’m sure the gender-neutral crowd is plotting.”

I think it was Jenna Day (Miss Kentucky) who made some comment about being connected to Society of American Fight Directors. I just did an image search for her hoping to add her to our sword hotties gallery, but came up empty handed.

[David Jamieson]

Well, if you suck at math and science, have little creativity and lack critical thinking skills of any real value...there's always beauty pageants! lol

That dairy cow thing is one of the most delightfully wtf things I've seen today. lol

It's the bikinis and masks...with the cows. lol

[Syn7]

Well, if you suck at math and science, have little creativity and lack critical thinking skills of any real value...there's always beauty pageants! lol

Well, you could always get a degree in communications.

[GeneChing]

Being a guy, I only cut&pasted the bikini shots. If you are one of the few stalwart women here, or if you're bawang, and want to see the bodybuilding shots, follow the link.

Photos: Miss Bikini and Mr Bodybuilding Contest held in Sanya



More than 175 bodybuilders and bikini-clad models vehemently overused spray-on tan and participated in the 3rd International Mr Bodybuilding and Miss Bikini Contest held in Sanya, Hainan Province. Too. Many. Abs

[Alex Córdoba]

Here's Miss Ireland