adminGibson Mhaka Saturday Leisure Correspondent
“BEAUTY with brains and beauty with a purpose”!
This slogan is being popularised by co-ordinators of beauty pageants as a counter to misconceptions and controversies surrounding the modelling industry.
For a long time there has been a debate, especially in Africa about the purpose of beauty pageants. Critics of the seemingly growing beauty industry believe that they are merely platforms for “brainless” women that want to flaunt their sexuality.
In 2007, Miss Rural Zimbabwe founder, Sipho Ncube-Mazibuko traded accusations with Girl Child Network director, Betty Makoni, over the running of the Miss Rural Zimbabwe beauty pageant after Makoni accused Ncube-Mazibuko of exploiting rural girls by teaching them bad morals.
Mazibuko defended the pageant saying there was more to the pageant than just cat-walking the ramp.
She said the pageant was meant to expose rural talent as well as empower the girls who according to her are lacked exposure.
Ncube mazibuko said she had realised that the rural girls had the potential to raise the country’s flag high by winning international beauty pageants.
Critics however still maintain that young girls are being morally corrupted by being allowed to parade half naked.
Probably that is why pageant organisers have come up with attractive themes like; “beauty with brains and beauty with a purpose” in a bid to convince society that the pageants are infact meant to empower the girl child and that participants are not dull and morally loose.
They argue that beauty pageants are not designed to reduce women to sexual objects, but instead are a platform to use beauty as an agent for social development and women’s advancement.
However, the recently held Miss Bulawayo pageant 2013 was in stark contrast to the popular theme, “beauty with brains”.
The majority of contestants failed to answer “simple” questions posed to them during the question and answer session.
One of the contestants failed to say what the acronym EMA (Environmental Management Agency) stands for.
As if that was not enough another one failed to cite two modes of transport and their advantages. Some gave awkward responses which left the audience with suggestions that the theme, “beauty with brains” is nothing but a myth.
In an interview with Saturday Leisure Miss Bulawayo licence holder Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda said ignorance displayed by some models on the ramp does not mean that they were dull but was a result of stage fright.
Mpofu-Sibanda gave another flimsy excuse on behalf of the girls saying they were not given enough time to prepare for the event that is why some of them were struggling to respond to the questions.
“It is our wish to see a beautiful girl with brains winning beauty pageants since we strongly believe in the theme, ‘beauty with brains,” she said.
Reigning Miss Zimbabwe and former Miss Bulawayo, Bongani Dhlakama said misconceptions about the purposes of beauty pageants were driving away some aspiring and intelligent girls that were supposed to contest. She said there was a belief that modelling was for those girls with loose morals or who had failed to make it academically.
“One thing which discourages some intelligent girls from participating in beauty pageants is some controversies surrounding these beauty pageants. We have former models who have managed to distinguished themselves by proving that models can be both beautiful and intelligent.
There is no doubt that Sipho Ncube- Mazibiko, Sarah Mpofu and Caroline Marufu, among other successful former models have proved critics wrong because of what they have achieved in life.
“Aspiring models should also know that modelling is not all about beauty and wearing a crown. One will be tasked with an ambassadorial role hence should know more about the industry, the city and general current affairs,” she said.
Online Reporter