"Miss World" contest met with protests at 60th anniversary show in London

[financeguy]

Demonstrators gathered in Earls Court, west London, as the Miss World contest returned to a London venue for its 60th anniversary show. Around 50 protesters carried placards that read, among other things, "Miss Deed" and "Miss Ogynist".

Rebecca Mordan, who helped organised the protest, said the wide age range of the protesters showed that feminism was still relevant today.

The first contest was hosted on the South Bank in 1951 during the Festival of Britain and judged by British born US comedian Bob Hope and in 2002 the final had to be moved to London at the last minute when approximately 100 people were left dead in Nigeria after comments in a local newspaper suggesting that a contemporary prophet Mohammed might take a bride from the pageant sparked three days of rioting.

Kat Banyard, author of The Equality Illusion and founder of the organisation UK Feminista, said the competition had no place in modern Britain. "We're here because Miss World has absolutely no place in a world that treats women and men equally. It perpetuates the beauty myth [and] indoctrinates people across the world with its toxic ideals, We know that [those ideals] have a very harmful effect." Banyard said.

"The more a girl sees herself as an object, the more ashamed and disgusted she will feel about her own body. And that has massive implications from everything from being too ashamed to go to physical education lessons to developing an eating disorder."

Miss World met with protests at 60th anniversary show in London | World news | The Guardian

 

[INDY500]

(Reuters) - A human resources graduate from Venezuela, whose ambition is to work with children, was crowned Miss World 2011 at a glittering beauty pageant in London on Sunday.

Ivian Sarcos, 21, took the ultimate beauty accolade at Earls Court in London, the city where the first Miss World was staged in 1951.

Outside the venue, a small feminist demonstration took place, protesting at what they said was an "appalling offence against women's equality."

The beauty contest was broadcast live to more than 150 countries and was watched by a billion viewers, organisers said.

The competition has drawn criticism in recent years for being outdated and little more than a chance to look good in swimwear.

But of the 122 contestants whom Sarcos beat, a quarter are graduates and more than half speak three or more languages.

Sarcos, who currently works for a broadcasting company, said her future ambition was to work with non-governmental organisations and children, according to the Miss World web site.

She has already created her own foundation to help youngsters.

Her hobbies include volleyball, mountaineering and trekking.

One of 13 children, Sarcos said her proudest moment was "when I did my Communion."

I really hate when talented beautiful women who publicly acknowledge the role of God in their life and seek to help others through "non-governmental organizations" render screechy feminists inconsequential.

 

[the iron horse]

"I really hate when talented beautiful women who publicly acknowledge the role of God in their life and seek to help others through "non-governmental organizations" render screechy feminists inconsequential."



I agree.

 

[purpleoscar]

I'm tired of Venezuela winning all the time.

 

[the iron horse]

I'm tired of Venezuela winning all the time.

It must be the black beans and rice.

 

[Dfit00]

^ It's actually the arepa.

 

[Caroni]

Those contests are a big deal here, those girls come here and become famous actresses, hosts, even polititians,

And nop I´m not tired of my country winning, we are just beatiful

 

[Canadiens1131]

"But of the 122 contestants whom Sarcos beat, a quarter are graduates and more than half speak three or more languages."

Protip: not a big deal outside the US, Canada, or UK.