"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride” goes an English proverb. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would take part in a beauty pageant. I would really like to meet a woman who wouldn’t feel great being crowned a beauty queen. If I could take part in a beauty contest, then I would not stop my daughter from doing the same if she wanted to. 

Wikipedia defines a beauty pageant as a competition that mainly focuses on the physical beauty of its contestants, although such contests also incorporate personality, intelligence, talent, and answers to judges’ questions as criteria.

If a girl is naturally shy but after she participates in a beauty pageant it raises her self-esteem and confidence, then how is that not great? They also get to explore the talents hidden in them thus making beauty pageants a platform for expression.

Beauty queens are role models; they influence girls and young women in several ways. For example young girls listen more to what Miss Rwanda has to say than an MP or minister. Its something called soft power influence because of the fact that they are around the same age. 

Just like any competition, a beauty pageant is entertaining; it’s also a way through which the world gets to appreciate God’s creation (optical nutrition as men like to call it) and also for cultural exchange most especially during the regionals and international contests. The girls get to interact and learn a thing or two from one another. 

In a debate online "Are beauty contests harmful to women?” one of the respondents said that they don’t believe that beauty contests are harmful to women because pageants help promote both inner and outer beauty. Pageants have transformed to appreciate the value of a woman and the inner characteristics that make them special. 

Therefore, before rubbishing it and probably discouraging girls from participating, think about how it will awaken their character as a person or how they are destined for great things. Think about how they will make an impact on other girls’ lives by becoming an ambassador if not the face of a prominent brand. These contests also boost one’s finances with the right managers. 

For example Katrina Kaif, one of India’s highest-paid actresses and models, first expressed interest in a modeling career at the age of fourteen, when she won a beauty contest in Hawaii. 

There you have it.