Some events have been around for long that it is hard to trace back to when they really started, beauty pageants for example. These are said to have begun as photographic beauty pageants, as opposed to the customary mass gathering events they now entice.
The oldest dates back to the 1800s then known as bathing beauty contests and in the 1850s when contestants would have their pictures published in the newspapers. Literature notes that the first contemporary beauty pageants did not occur until 1921 in Atlantic City, New Jersey when Margaret Gorman won the first-ever Miss America title.
Miss America Pageantry was broadcasted for the first time by ABC in 1954, making the event a national spectacle. Beauty pageants ever since started spreading to cities across the United States, with colleges combining them with Homecoming Queen and May Day traditions. Beauty pageantries had already gained the popularity by early 1960s and were regarded useful in constructing the feminine identity.
One of the first beauty pageants in global history
They all had a few things in common. Unmarried girls of a specified age range, not in any relationship or known sexual affair, a certain height and weight, among other criteria, were required to join the competition. However, in the 1960s, the Mrs. NC State pageant differed in one keyway. The participants were required to be married. The prime goal was to reinforce a domestic housewife’s identity and applaud talents geared toward the home. The winner for the year would then be crowned by her husband.
The yearly Miss World competition was then founded in 1951 by Eric Douglas Morley, Miss Universe founded in 1952 by Pacific Knitting Mills, Miss International founded in 1960 by Nawat Itsaragrisil, and Miss Earth founded in 2001 by Ramon Monzonwith to raise environmental awareness across the world.
The fact that practically all beauty pageants were founded by men sparked a lot of controversies. As time passed, feminism and women's empowerment organizations began to criticize beauty pageants; suggesting that they were used to objectify women and did not promote women's empowerment as grandly portrayed. Many pageantries were also marred with scandals over time.
In Rwanda, the first beauty pageant after the Genocide in 1994 was organised by telecom company ‘Rwandatel’. Its first edition was held on December 19, 2009, and Grace Bahati was crowned Miss Rwanda 2009. The public has since then seen different girls succeed each other on the beauty throne.
From Miss Grace Bahati 2009, Miss Aurore Mutesi Kayibanda 2012, Miss Colombe Akiwacu 2014, Miss Doriane Kundwa 2015, Miss Jolly Mutesi 2016, Miss Elsa Iradukunda 2017, Miss Liliane Iradukunda 2018, Miss Meghan Nimwiza 2019, Miss Naomie Nishimwe 2020, Miss Grace Ingabire 2021 and now Miss Divine Nshuti Muheto 2022.
However, the Rwandan beauty pageants have been temporarily suspended due to allegations that Dieudonné Ishimwe, also known as Prince Kid, the CEO of Rwanda Inspiration Backup, which organises the yearly beauty event, sexually abused, solicited or offered sexual favors, and harassment to contestants.
Miss University Africa, Miss Global Beauty, and other beauty pageants have also emerged over time.
Mister Rwanda, a new beauty contest for males, was recently announced in Rwanda. If it hadn't been put on hold until further notice, Rwanda would have produced its first Mister this year. Male beauty pageants such as Mister World, Man of the World Pageant, Mister International, Manhunt International, Mister Supranational, and Mister Global are continuing all over the world.
Beauty pageants have traditionally focused on judging and ranking the participants' physical characteristics using pre-determined standards. Most pageants, including Rwanda's, have developed to be more inclusive by eliminating physical standards and judging contestants on other criteria such as culture, intelligence, character, and charitable involvement through private interviews with judges and responses to public on-stage questions.
Titleholders of local, national, and worldwide beauty pageants are frequently involved in various forms of social service. During their reign, the majority of beauty winners get associated with NGOs or independently formed enterprises. Others even get to continue working on the projects after the reign is over.