Last week some pageant bling helped me get into the holiday spirit. Take a look at these amazing/atrocious gowns from the 2012 Miss Universe Pageant and tell me they don’t make you think of a) A Christmas Tree and b) A Mrs. Claus outfit gone wrong. (Well, actually only if Mrs. Claus was a part-time [...]
This morning I was on NECN’s Morning Show talking about the controversy surrounding the Indian Land Elementary Warrior School Pageant– a child beauty pageant meant to be a fundraiser in South Carolina that was ultimately canceled after parent protests. You can read more of my thoughts on “Parents against pageants” by clicking here. In a [...]
The drought is over. It’s been 61 years and Rhode Island finally got a Miss USA (note they haven’t yet had a Miss America). Last night Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss USA. I had a lot of fun watching the pageant (and live tweeting) and RI was a standout from the beginning. Her gown was [...]
Princess means that you’re a loser! A lot of feminists might agree with this sentiment– especially with the recent release of Disney’s newest princess targeted at the preschool set, Sofia the First. But it was a child beauty pageant mom who uttered this line during the continuing fourth season of TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras, which [...]
To outsiders it might seem like there are lots of links between the world of child beauty pageants and the world of adult beauty pageants (which do not exclusively include the Miss America, Miss Universe, and Miss World systems, but those are certainly the most prestigious and well-known). But that isn’t quite right. Lots of [...]
Last night Miss Angola, 25-year-old Leila Lopes, was crowned the 60th Miss Universe—the first ever winner from Angola. She beat out 89 other hopefuls in Sao Paulo, Brazil to take the crown. The hosts declared this to be the “most coveted title in the world,” a statement I’m sure many would disagree with, even if [...]
It’s been a big week in beauty pageants, especially with the Miss USA Pageant and the return of Toddlers & Tiaras. Last week’s TLC hit featured a “showdown” between two of the most well-known queens featured on the show– Eden Wood and MaKenzie– and this week’s featured a Pentecostal, praying pageant mom and a pushy, [...]
As I read The Boston Globe this morning I came across this story at the back of the Metro Section: “Missing Out, Happily.” The story is about Emily Johnson, Miss Maine USA 2011 (not to be confused with Miss Maine, who represents the state in the Miss America system). Johnson was crowned Miss Maine USA [...]
Please note: This appeared on The Huffington Post on March 15, 2011 as “There She Goes: A Trailblazing, Feminist Beauty Queen.” This week women around the world observed the 100th celebration of International Women’s Day. We honored female trailblazers and leaders. One woman not discussed was Jean Bartel, Miss America 1943, who passed away on [...]
