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Beauty, brains and boldness

Besides the requisite oomph factor, the beauty pageant contestant should be bright as the sun, bold as brass, and beautiful as roses, to delight the aesthetic senses of the jury and the multitude alike!

By Chime Tenzing | Tibet Sun

Chime Tenzing in a file photo. Photographer unknown

“Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears” — Edgar Allen Poe

In the face of the hullabaloo and controversy surrounding the Miss Tibet contests, the ninth edition of Lobsang Wangyal Productions’ Miss Tibet 2010 has just concluded successfully amidst fanfare and fun! The four beautiful contestants sashayed and strutted the ramp with elegance and charisma, winning the hearts of all those present at the gala evening. The tickets reportedly sold like hot cakes, and Dharamshala’s crowd thronged to the venue and shouted at the tops of their voices when the jury announced the winner and the runners-up!

The past eight Miss Tibet contests had witnessed erratic turnouts in the number of participants, and at two occasions the pageant had to go on with only one contestant! However, the Tibetan beauty contest went on against all odds without fail every year. The man behind the Miss Tibet — Lobsang Wangyal — was instrumental in bringing this beautiful concept to life in the exile world, and therefore he rightfully deserves the Show Man title for his versatility and talents! I personally believe that the Miss Tibet contest has contributed in disseminating information on and about Tibet to the outside world in its own capacity and scope. If fared well, the contestants are even given opportunity to take part in beauty pageants like Miss Earth and rub shoulders with the international beauties on the global stage, which would eventually enable them to represent Tibet and share the plight and misadventures of Tibetans’ quest to regain their homeland.

As I learned from a bit of research done on the subject, a beauty pageant is essentially a competition based mainly, but not entirely, on the physical beauty of its contestants. Most beauty contests for men and women are separate events. The men’s competitions are not referred to as beauty contests but rather as displays of strength and physicality. Women winning a beauty contest are given the title of a beauty queen, and runners-up are regarded as princesses or equivalent, while contests for men are judged as body-building competitions. Till about 15 years ago, the main focus of contests for men was on the unnatural muscle mass of the contestants and their physical attributes, but now the judges look towards other attributes such as emotional and intellectual responses, as well as awareness of current issues. Some of these competitions include Mr Universe, Mr International, and Mr America for men, while Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, Miss Earth, and Mrs World are some famous beauty pageants for women.

Regardless of the method of competition, breakdown of scores, or frequency of selection, all are defined as “entertainment in the form of a beauty pageant.” It is up to the individual to determine which is best suited for competition or of particular entertainment interest.

Back when beauty pageants first started, they were viewed as trivial events whose interpretation required no scholarly effort. Miss America, the first pageant of its kind, has made an effort to ensure that it does not appear as a “stereotypical” pageant. The competition emphasizes the different aspects of women and highlights their personal successes. They strive to give these women the opportunity to rise to the top. Pageant participants return to their hometowns and promote community involvement. Another goal of pageants is promoting the self-esteem of the contestants. Girls who compete feel a sense of belonging with the other contestants, and with the larger pageant community. The pageant offers not just a place, but a particular way and stringently limited terms with which to negotiate a sense of self.

While lauding the courage and determination of our Miss Tibets, there is a visible lack of self-confidence and stamina which is required to exhibit and flaunt their beauty and talents. Our girls need to be more courageous, more informed and more prepared to face the world confidently. Besides the beauty and figure, they should also focus on the overall personality, including language and cultural knowledge. They should also spruce up their knowledge on current issues challenging Tibet as a nation, Tibetan women, and the world at large. Apart from just looking beautiful, they should have the brains and the boldness to represent Tibetan women and be able to carry the weight of the Miss Tibet title on their shoulder.

There’s no denying the fact that the skills learned in pageants have been said to last for a lifetime. Contestants gain the ability to speak in public, and a sense of confidence in themselves. Winners of these pageants have said that feel they have a sense of accomplishment. Having said all this, we are yet to see a fierce battle in the Miss Tibet contest so far. A minimum of ten contestants would be required to add zest and passion to the contest. To our young and beautiful ladies — If you have the package of beauty, brains, and boldness, you should pull up your socks from now on to make a roaring appearance at the next Miss Tibet contest. Until then I must say — All the best to all our beautiful ladies out there. I bet you’d agree: The show must go on!

Copyright © 2010 Chime Tenzing

Published in Tibet Sun