5 Reasons Why the Miss Universe Pageant is As Outdated As Trump’s Comb Over

By  Yara Simón

Miss Philippines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (C), Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Miss Philippines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (C), Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

After Donald Trump’s recent ignorant comments about immigrants, countries, companies and people are re-evaluating their involvement with his beauty pageants Miss Universe and Miss USA. We’re all for Trump boycotts, but just thought we’d point out that a competition in which women are judged primarily based on how they look in bathing suits and evening gowns probably needed to be reevaluated a long ass time ago.

Here’s why the competition is outdated and needs to be canceled.

1

Women are smart enough to get scholarships sans bikinis.

Defenders of beauty pageants love to point out that they provide opportunities for women to get scholarships and further their education. But if you actually take the time to read these women’s bios, you’d see a lot of them are pretty impressive and accomplished. They could probably qualify for scholarships that didn’t require them to put on a bikini first.

Besides, John Oliver made it clear that the pageant greatly exaggerates about the money it gives out for scholarships.

2

The National Costume section is basically Halloween.

Let’s be honest, the National Costume section is the best part of the pageant because it’s just so outrageous. Between the over-the-top outfits and borderline-offensive cultural stereotypes alluded to, it’s kind of like going to Coachella. With that said, if we want to have a Vegas-level costume parade then let’s just do that. No need to turn it into a pageant.

3

Bathing suits are encouraged, but posing nude will get you disqualified.

Showing skin is OK, as long as it’s on the competition’s terms. Just try Googling Miss Universe, and all you will see is women in bathing suits. But if a woman decides to pose nude because she wants to, she will be disqualified. Worse, if a woman’s images have surfaced because someone has decided to take revenge on her, she will still be out of a title.

4

They're starting too young.

Miss Venezuela Migbelis Castellanos attends Miss Universe Pop Art Experience with Romero Britto in Wynwood at Britto Central on January 11, 2015 in Miami, Florida. Photo by Manny Hernandez/Getty Images
Miss Venezuela Migbelis Castellanos attends Miss Universe Pop Art Experience with Romero Britto in Wynwood at Britto Central on January 11, 2015 in Miami, Florida. Photo by Manny Hernandez/Getty Images

In many places in Latin America, winning the Miss Universe title means getting out of poverty. In Venezuela, particularly, this means girls start out training for the competition as soon as possible. Butt lifts, nose jobs and mesh sewn on tongues to help suppress appetite is incredibly damaging to young girls. Being a teenage girl is complicated enough, and no one needs this pressure.

5

Miss Universe is exclusive.

It’s called Miss Universe, but there are only competitors from planet Earth which is clearly spaceist. Sci-fi movies have shown us that there are some super bad ass space women that are being excluded, let’s get with the times people.

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