Behind the Curtain: Unmasking the Dark Secrets of Beauty Pageants

Ah, beauty pageants! The “competition” which can be summed up with “mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

Right?

Not really. At least not in my experience.

Beauty Pageants: An Origin Story

Like most things, beauty pageants originated in ancient Greece. The lore behind these so-called competitions is more interesting than what qualifies as pageantry today. The story goes something like this.

In ancient Greece, a poor mortal goat herder named Alexandros was once called upon to settle a dispute. Not just an ordinary dispute but a conflict between goddesses. No points for guessing what the disagreement was about! Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena had an ongoing debate over who was the most beautiful.

According to the writer, Apollodorus, all three goddesses offered bribes (remember this; it will be vital later on). Hera said that if she was “crowned”, she would give Alexandros, the mortal, the kingdom over all men. Athena promised that he would be victorious in every war he waged, while Aphrodite offered him the hand of Helen.

The simple goatherd chose Aphrodite in exchange for getting the hand of Helen of Troy (Arguably the most beautiful mortal. Cue: The Trojan War)

This story is what fueled the current lore of beauty pageants. However, most beauty pageant organisers have neither heard nor care about the origin story.

How Have Things Evolved?

Beauty pageants have since become hollow shells of something which was nothing short of archaic even in its glory days. Only one aspect of the ancient beauty pageants among gods exists to date. Corruption and Bribes.

Bribes & Corruption

Now, I’m not striking down every beauty pageant out there. Just the ones that fit the bill (you know who you are). I’ve taken a peek behind the scenes. Bribes for these pageant organisers come in all forms, not necessarily money. The organisers call this “ticket selling” or “coupon sales”. Funny name for what is basically a cash grab.

What’s more? The number of sales determines how high you are ranked. For example, if you sell 2x tickets compared to any competitor, you get fast-tracked to at least the top 3. If that’s not a bribe, I don’t know what is.

Inappropriate Behavior

Organisers like hiring people with big names. However, these big names come with massive chips on their shoulders. These so-called groomers are actual groomers (not the good kind; you can look up the other meaning of “grooming a person” to learn more). Sadly, these are not isolated events. They happen regularly, and they are swept under the rug regularly too.

But how is that the event organiser’s fault? You ask. I speak from personal experience. I have heard organizers (who are women) talk about their contestants and ex-contestants in derogatory terms because of the photos they posted on Instagram. If a woman can say those things about her contestants because of their pictures, you can only imagine what these people hired from the other ends of the country think of them. Women empowerment? I think not.

The organisers do not protect the young women who participate in these competitions. Instead, they pass comments about the so-called revealing pictures on Instagram.

The Fake Vision

“Better World” and “More than Beauty” are fluff words these beauty pageants use to advertise themselves. They think that by using these terms, they can stand out from the rest. That they have more to offer, and they value more than just the external appearance.

Spoiler: the only other thing they care about is gaining clout and grabbing money! They don’t care about the environment. They don’t care about the “brains” in “Beauty with Brains”.

You may wonder what’s so wrong with that. The organisers do not actually help these contestants. They give them “tasks” to perform, without any guidance or assistance. I can go as far as saying they are just unpaid marketing interns for these events.

Events are Scripted

But there is more to beauty pageants than beauty. The judges ask the contestants questions and evaluate them on their answers. Although that is the prevailing thought and assumption, these events are scripted to the dot! Every answer they give is carefully practised are rehearsed. Answers that are written by the organisers, and so are the questions.

They’re just putting on a show! Now, you might be wondering how it works if everything is scripted. Well, the organisers know who is going to win before the event even begins. Since they are already privy to all the answers and questions, what the viewers see is nothing short of a poorly executed play. Even their introduction lines have to be memorised, and any deviation from the script is frowned upon!

Rampant Favoritism

I can’t say for sure what goes on in other events. But I can speak from experience. In most pageants, favouritism runs rampant. If the organisers like someone, they will win regardless of how the judges score them during the finals.

This kind of unprecedented control to manipulate the results is an absolute disgrace. They also ensure that the girl they do not favour wins nothing except a meaningless title like “miss photogenic” or “miss something”.

The Final Cash Grab

Not only do the organisers make money by the truckload, this happens in a way that makes me feel sick in the stomach. After charging the contestants thousands for simply participating, the organisers make six figures from the sponsorship easily, which rarely goes to the event. It’s cash-grabbing at its finest.

Does any of this go to the contestants? Yes. They do get a small chunk of a chunk which is slightly more than a return on their investment. But it comes bundled with a contract that renders them publicity interns for over a year. And what happens if they fail to fulfil the publicity requirements? The organisers threatened to deduct the prize pool (they do not pay when the event concludes. Instead, they trickle down drops of cash so the contestants remain bound).

The Children are Not Safe Either

Most pageants even have a category for teenagers. You don’t need me to explain how participating in these so-called competitions gives 14-year-olds a skewed worldview and unreal beauty expectations. Unless their parents are loaded with cash, they can sell “coupons” to “bribe” the organisation and secure their little one a top 3 position.

What about the rest?

They go home dejected. They feel they are not beautiful or smart enough (since these pageants say it’s about more than beauty). They talk of women empowerment but pass snarky comments every time these girls post a slightly flaunting picture. I’m sure I’m not going to change minds about these pageants, but I cannot go quietly into the night as I watch these rogue organisers go about the same patterns. The entire thing is just smoke and mirrors.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the way these pageants are held and organised is a massive letdown to people and organisations who work towards empowering women and providing them with the tools to make it big in this world. However, most organisations make people believe that they support mental health, the environment, or one of the numerous causes. (Whatever gets them the clicks or whatever is trending) They neither understand the scale or the meaning of the cause.

I’m not saying all pageants are bad. Some may even uplift women and support actual causes and make a difference. Before you decide to partake in any pageantry, I implore you to do some research. Do they really support the causes? Do they really empower women?

Or do they just want to make a quick buck?

If all you gain from spending your valuable time and money is a title to use in your Instagram bio and a bond to remain their marketing intern for a year, you’re doing it wrong.