Proof Beauty Pageants Are Beating Out Feminism

While 121 beauty queens battled it out for the title of Miss World, a whole different fight was happening outside London’s ExCel center. The Miss World 2014 protest, organized by the London Feminist Network, objected to the sexist and degrading nature of the pageant.

Unfortunately for the feminist organization, not many protesters showed up…in fact, there were only five feminists in attendance. These numbers are quite depressing, especially compared to the last Miss World pageant that was held in London in 2011, which attracted over 200 protestors. The London Feminist Network blames the cold, transportation problems, and the holiday season for the poor attendance.

The protests was promoted on social media using the hashtag #missworldoldworldmisogyny, and signs from the tiny demonstration has the same sentiments, including "End sexism, end Miss World" and "Miss World = Old world misogyny." It’s a shame that more people didn’t show up to the demonstration because these beauty contests really are a heaping pile of sexist bullshit. As the London Feminist Network points out, these contests “reinforce the idea that women’s purpose is to look ‘attractive’,” “reduce women to objects,” and “erode our human rights to be treated as equals.” Aren’t these issues that more than five women should take a stand for?

Though the location of the next and 65th annual Miss World pageant has not been confirmed, here’s hoping that next year more people will step up and take a stand against these outdated beauty contests.

Image: Miss World/Facebook