Why Is There A Swimsuit Competition In Miss Universe?
Miss Universe is a prestigious beauty contest. Women from around the world compete to be judged as having the best physical attributes and they also wear rather revealing clothing. It seems like a standard beauty pageant but there's one thing that stands out: Miss Universe does not have a swimsuit competition!
The reason for this is because the founder of the Miss Universe competition, Juan Antonio Samaranch, felt that it was inappropriate to include such an event in such an important international event such as the Miss Universe pageant.
He felt that people respected the organisation more when it presented itself with dignity and class. The fact that women wore very revealing clothing seemed to undermine its success due to the focus on physical beauty and talent. Therefore, the swimsuit portion was eliminated and replaced with a new and improved component: sportswear!
This change helps to highlight women's achievements in sports as well as their impact on charity work, culture, arts and other important causes. The change seems like it would be welcomed by everyone since this involves such an important international competition as Miss Universe.
To Feel Comfortable With Their Skin
However, there are people who have voiced their concerns about the elimination of this swimsuit competition. Many women feel more comfortable wearing bikinis compared to other clothing. For example, they might feel ill at ease with a lengthy dress or an elegant gown which seems like it would be the type of outfit worn by many contestants in such competitions.
The Miss Universe pageant is not alone as some other countries hold beauty contests as well as swimsuit competitions as part of their important events and ceremonies. Mexico has held a national Miss Bikini contest for decades and considered it to be an effective method for raising awareness on health and fitness issues among young people.
Leniency On Social Media
This year's Miss Japan decided to use her social media platform on Instagram to express her views on the swimsuit competition and its elimination. She stated that it would be a shame if such an important part of this beauty pageant was not continued.
Sara Hiromi, who is 24 years old, has competed three times in the Miss Universe Japan pageant and even won it last year. In addition, she also argued that it is difficult for contestants from colder countries since they have to wear clothing more appropriate for their climate conditions rather than being able to compete wearing bikinis or other revealing outfits.
Although Sara's idea does bring a good point about how women should feel comfortable with their skin and wear whatever makes them feel most confident about themselves, there are people who do not agree with what she says. They believe that this would be giving the wrong message to young women, especially those who are new to following such competitions.
It Helps Women Love Their Unique Built
Sara's idea is that if women are encouraged to wear bikinis then they would feel more confident about themselves. Young girls who engage in body shaming might be able to learn from this example. Furthermore, her model will simply depend on the confidence of each woman and not on their sex appeal or physical attractiveness.
However, many people believe that this type of event does not send the right message since it may cause young women to engage in unhealthy lifestyles just for the sake of their beauty. It could also encourage social media users to post provocative photos to get attention from other people.
Plus, there are women who have negative views towards their own bodies which makes them feel insecure especially when wearing revealing clothing such as bikinis. For these women, it can help them learn to love their unique built.
It Does Not Matter If A Woman Wears Bikini Or A Dress
Although some people might be against the idea of women competing in a beauty contest wearing bikinis, there are also others who believe that the outfits do not matter. Some suggest that Miss Universe contestants should wear whatever they feel most confident about regardless if it is a bikini or more formal clothing such as dresses.
After all, what really matters is how confident these women are with their own skin. The main priority should be to make sure that this global competition celebrates diversity and sends the message of loving who you are instead of focusing on unrealistic expectations which make young people develop an unhealthy body image.
It Is Better To Focus On Healthy Lifestyles
There are some who suggest that swimsuit competitions as part of beauty pageants should be eliminated all together. The reason behind this is to avoid sending the wrong message to young women everywhere about what they should look like.
It is important for them to focus more on their health and wellness instead of gaining a certain number of likes on social media by uploading a photo of themselves wearing revealing clothing such as bikinis.
To Show Their Fitness Level
Another point that some people have is that swimsuit competitions are just a way to show how fit these contestants are since they can easily showcase their body without having to worry about how much clothing they should wear. Moreover, the fact that participants do not need an extravagant costume or provocative makeup to win can make it more interesting for everyone else.
Give Women The Freedom To Choose Their Own Outfits
For those women who want to compete in Miss Universe wearing bikinis, there are supporters who say that they should be able to choose what they feel most comfortable with regardless if it is revealing or not.
Society now has become more open-minded and encouraging towards healthy lifestyles which is why this idea might actually work. Furthermore, it also celebrates diversity and shows young women that they do not need to look a certain way just to win in these types of competitions.
On The Other Hand, There Are Also Women Who Do Not Agree
Although some people are positive about Sara's proposal, there are also others who have opposing views. For example, one argument is that even though this would be an empowering movement for women all around the world, it might cause them to love their bodies too much which is actually unhealthy.
Most Miss Universe contestants work very hard during their preparation period before officially competing in the pageant. However, many tend to have negative body images due to unrealistic expectations coming from society which makes them believe that they are not attractive enough. This can then lead to further issues such as low self-esteem, depression and even suicide.
Swimsuit Competitions Are A Big Part Of The Pageant
Another point that some individuals have is that bikinis are a big part of the pageant since it has been around for over six decades. If they got rid of this element in Miss Universe, then there might be a chance that people will also stop tuning in to watch which can affect how much money these contests make from advertisements and sponsorships.
In addition to swimsuits being a big part of the show, it also showcases contestants' physical figures which can help someone become more confident when competing for other beauty pageants in the future such as Miss World or Miss Earth.
It Depends On Where These Women Are From
Prior to the creation of swimsuits, contestants in these pageants would compete in their national costumes which could be very revealing. Although this part is not as popular today compared to swimsuit competitions, there are still some countries such as Brazil and Venezuela who choose to use this type of outfit because it represents their culture instead.
Another interesting point that some people have about Miss Universe is that if they got rid of swimsuit competitions, then contestants from places like Europe would be at a disadvantage since their outfits might not stand out compared to others who wear more revealing clothes such as bikinis.
Women's Rights Have Improved Significantly Since The Creation Of Swimsuits For Beauty Pageants There is an ongoing debate about whether swimsuit competitions should be a part of Miss Universe or not.
Although some people think that it is unfair to have these kinds of competitions, there are also others who have the opposite point of view. Many supporters believe that this is a way for women to show off their goals and ambitions as well as embrace their own sexuality by wearing revealing clothing if they wish to do so.
The fact that swimsuits were introduced at Miss Universe shows how much progress these beauty pageants have made in terms of including women from different walks of life all over the world. In fact, it has been one of the reasons why more and more countries want to participate since it gives them an equal opportunity compared to other types of contests where they would not even make the cut due to physical differences.
At first, swimsuit beauty contests were not as popular as other types of competitions since this would be considered indecent in some cultures. Luckily, the world has become more accepting over time which was why viewers have started enjoying these events.
Furthermore, it is also a way for women to showcase their physical features and motivate others to work hard on their bodies if they wish to participate in these events one day.
It All Depends On The Contestant's Point Of View
Although there are people who are supportive about the idea of banning swimsuits from Miss Universe, there are also others who think otherwise. Some argue that its purpose is for women to show off how confident they are with their own body regardless of what society thinks. However, there are others who think that it is harmful since it could affect how women feel about their body by comparing themselves with other individuals.
Another point of view on the topic of swimsuits in beauty pageants is for women to embrace their sexuality. Some people state that they are looking at them as sexual objects instead of seeing the real person behind the clothes which can be dehumanizing.
Although this can have a positive impact on some women's self-esteem, there are also others who think otherwise. Instead of feeling confident after putting on skimpy outfits, there might also be negative consequences such as being judged or being objectified by men.