Miss Universe pageant will now be open to married women and mothers.
In the 1950s, a few years after India was declared independent, a woman from the Madras Presidency made headlines. She took the world by storm by representing India in an international beauty contest. She adorned jasmine flowers and a bindi in the swimsuit round and enthralled the audience with bharathanatyam steps. That was Indrani Rahman, who was just 22 and already a mother participating in the Miss Universe pageant in 1952, the first, at Long Beach, California.
That India’s Indrani broke all stereotypes that we associate today with beauty pageants, over 70 years ago, can be bewildering. What could have changed the status quo in the decades after her appearance is a topic for another day. However, the decision to get more inclusive is better late than never. After all, the pageant is the stepping stone for many women into the world of beauty, and fashion and has the potential to inspire and impact millions of women across the world.
Living up to its motto
Browsing through the Miss Universe website, one gets a clear glimpse into the objectives of the contest seeing words like breaking stereotypes, creating opportunities, by women for women, etc. On the contrary, till 1999, in a radically opposite act, divorcees and women who have undergone abortions were kept out of the fray.
A few years, ago, a collage of the title winners was a telling picture of the bias towards fair skin and black hair, with a handful of representations from Africa. Expectedly, the same came under fire. The program has been designed with strictures that have been unrealistic and mostly centered on the perfect looks- lissom and slim— and offering a platform for their thoughts and ideas for a better world.
Being inclusive is the right thing to do
We have been having endless conversations about ending bias and stereotyping women. It seems logical that it begins with the event meant to celebrate women. Broadening the spectrum to include all kinds of women would be the closest measure of femininity. As we discuss this, a Miss England finalist, Melisa Raouf, has made headlines by going make-up free in the contest, challenging the norms.
The shift in paradigm with more space for all kinds of women in the pageant will hopefully have a ripple effect on the beauty and fashion industry, which has been under scrutiny for its lack of inclusion.
And, possibly in the coming years, Miss Universe can also set high standards by re-branding it to showcase ambition, achievements, and career goals.
