Critics of the beauty pageants want you to believe that beauty contests are sexist. They force women to fit into a feminine stereotype. Femininity is not a female trait that should be admired. Why would anyone want to suggest that femininity in a woman is wrong? What is the real reason for the criticism against beauty pageants?

The term sexist is used by feminists to make an argument that they are being belittled by men. The term sexist in itself is sexist. The definition of sexist and sexism is “a man with a chauvinistic belief in the inferiority of women”. A true non biased definition would be one gender with the belief the other gender is inferior. The current definition means that the beauty pageants would be limiting and taking advantage of women. Beauty pageants are the recognition of the best feminine traits in a woman and not belittling or taking advantage of them.

It is said that beauty pageants stereotype women. What is a stereotype? A stereotype is a common set of characteristics in a like group. A stereotype represents what is common and therefore makes a group unique from another group. This group can be a place, thing or people. Every part of society has stereotypes, such as a CEO, Lawyer, Police Officer or a Welder all have their stereotypical characteristics. If they did not have those characteristics, they might be better off doing something else. A beauty pageant is the recognition of the beauty of women. Beauty as recognized by mind, spirit and body. It is the recognition that most, not all, fit into this description. When something or someone is admired it is the recognition that they represent the best of those common traits.

It is said that the pageants are forcing women to act in a typical feminine way. Typical also means common characteristics of a certain group. If they are typically feminine, are they being forced? If they are acting feminine when they are not, isn’t that deception and would it not mean that the pageants are being used and taken advantage of in order to get the benefits of the beauty pageant? If they are not feminine, would they participate in the pageant? The pageant is not about whom best represents the atypical woman.

Most women are a wife and mother in a family. When was the last time you saw a beauty pageant where the women’s goal was to be a wife and mother in a family? Beauty pageants don’t recognize this honorable trait. Is this why beauty pageants are sexist? No. You will not find any feminist that defends the right of a woman to stand by her man and family, although, you will find the Chippendale dancers with a following of women with no objection from the feminists.

To deny that Men and Women are different is to deny your own existence, individuality, strengths and weaknesses. Feminists say we are equal in everything. That denies our complimentary existence for one another. That denies the main reason why men and women strive to grow together, to form a family, to build a life together. It is not because we are equal. It is not because a man is feminine or that a woman is masculine. It is because of our typical differences and how we complement each other that we admire one another.

So what is the real motive here? Are the objections to the beauty pageant logical? No. Are the pageants forcing women to be feminine? No. Are they rewarding certain traits in women? Yes. Do the women who are against pageants exhibit these traits? No. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what is attractive and beautiful to me may not be to you. But we all have basic likes and dislikes and the beauty pageants rightfully or wrongfully symbolize those traits. In this case, it is about woman’s beauty and it honors those characteristics that are valued in society.