Miss World 2011 Met with Protests in London
The Miss World Pageant went back home to London for its 60th anniversary but was met with protests at Earls Court in West London.
Approximately 50 protesters gathered to demonstrate that feminism still exists and is still relevant during these times. Protesters carried signs that read "Miss Deed" and "Miss Ogynist" in opposition to the beauty pageant.
"You cannot pull the wool over young women's eyes. These women are living and growing up in a world that regards pornography as a big part of the mainstream culture. This beauty contest is the soft end of that spectrum as it reduces these beautiful women as just the sum of their parts," said Rebecca Mordan, an organizer of the demonstration.
"This beauty pageant does not have a rightful place in the modern world of Britain," said Kat Banyard, author of "The Equality" and founder of UK Feminista.
"We are here because this contest does not belong in a world that treats women and men equally. It perpetuates the beauty myth and indoctrinates people all over the globe with their unacceptable ideals. And we all know that those wrongly placed ideals have a very harmful effect on others," added Banyard.
Banyard continued to prove her point that Miss World is about judging women based on how they look. She said that the competition may be trying to adapt feminist criticisms however it is still a competition about aesthetics nonetheless.
"We joined the pageant by choice. We enjoy being a part of it and we support each other. There is a lot of friendship and everyone tries to build their own self confidence throughout the competition. We learn to speak in front of a crowd and we try to be a part of the community as well. We raise money for charity. Just because beauty is a big part of the pageant, it does not mean we cannot do a lot of good things," says Clara Belle, a finalist for Miss England.
The Miss World 2011 Pageant has women from 122 different countries all over the world battling it out to get the crown. The competition is shown both through various television channels and even through streaming websites on the internet, with one billion viewers all over the world.
