What I got to prove, what I lost
Lourdes Mhae Cayatoc
Exploitative. Disrespectful. Worthless. Downright dirty. These are a few of the adjectives that we hear whenever a beauty pageant comes to mind. While a lot of us don't know what goes on and what is in a beauty pageant, those who are involved in such events remain victims of our, or someone else's, prejudice.
I for one used to have no appreciation for beauty pageants. In fact, I hated their mere existence. Like the others who stuck out their tongues in disgust as they told stories of how those who participated in such contests lost their integrity, I used to bad-mouth almost every contestant even though I hardly knew any of them.
Then fate intervened and I had to reassess the things I believe in. Someone asked me to join a beauty pageant. I was so reluctant at first. I fought all those who dared to push me into it. I couldn't find myself embracing one of the things I despised.
Then a friend punched me with this line: "You have nothing to prove and nothing to lose. All you have to do is give our faith in you a chance." I was in my usual pouting self, but my pride worked in so right there and then, I decided to take the challenge.
Slowly I began to understand the importance and meaning of what I entered into. I found out that joining a beauty contest is not easy. It takes guts, courage, confidence and assertiveness to be able to qualify. What's more, being beautiful doesn't mean that one can get away that easily into winning the crown. That goes the same with intelligence.
In order to achieve the much coveted crown in a beauty pageant, one must possess all of these qualities -- the synergy of confidence, beauty, grace and intelligence.
So contrary to what many believe, beauty pageants are not useless. These pageants are a venue for young women to build their confidence, hone their talents, face their fears and air out their opinions. Plus, pageants build a solid camaraderie among the candidates -- a relationship bound by strength and tested by the powerful call of excelling over the others, yet giving their best fairly.
I can say that the people behind these shows have good intentions. Not only do they have the guts to show their talents but they have faith in what they do. They want to achieve something. To help. To succeed. To learn. They know that although they may not have excelled in what they did at one time, in a way, they still have shared something.
See, I know that my friend was wrong. In joining a beauty pageant and being crowned a beauty queen, I have proved one thing. I made others and myself believe that there is more in what we see in things if we learn to appreciate them.
And I did lose something: my insecurities, my fears, and most of all, my biases. I have become a better person. I am no great beauty and I am not that intelligent but I was given a chance to impart the little things that I have.
As a responsible citizen of this nation, and as a young woman, I proudly say that a beauty pageant is the place where smart, confident and gorgeous women can transform themselves into the best they can be: women who dare to excel and give more than what is expected from them; women who commit their lives to sharing what they have; and women who are capable of changing society in their own simple ways of speaking out what they have in mind.
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The contributor, called Kadma by friends, spent her childhood in Sagada, a town where smart women are beautiful.
Exploitative. Disrespectful. Worthless. Downright dirty. These are a few of the adjectives that we hear whenever a beauty pageant comes to mind. While a lot of us don't know what goes on and what is in a beauty pageant, those who are involved in such events remain victims of our, or someone else's, prejudice.
I for one used to have no appreciation for beauty pageants. In fact, I hated their mere existence. Like the others who stuck out their tongues in disgust as they told stories of how those who participated in such contests lost their integrity, I used to bad-mouth almost every contestant even though I hardly knew any of them.
Then fate intervened and I had to reassess the things I believe in. Someone asked me to join a beauty pageant. I was so reluctant at first. I fought all those who dared to push me into it. I couldn't find myself embracing one of the things I despised.
Then a friend punched me with this line: "You have nothing to prove and nothing to lose. All you have to do is give our faith in you a chance." I was in my usual pouting self, but my pride worked in so right there and then, I decided to take the challenge.
Slowly I began to understand the importance and meaning of what I entered into. I found out that joining a beauty contest is not easy. It takes guts, courage, confidence and assertiveness to be able to qualify. What's more, being beautiful doesn't mean that one can get away that easily into winning the crown. That goes the same with intelligence.
In order to achieve the much coveted crown in a beauty pageant, one must possess all of these qualities -- the synergy of confidence, beauty, grace and intelligence.
So contrary to what many believe, beauty pageants are not useless. These pageants are a venue for young women to build their confidence, hone their talents, face their fears and air out their opinions. Plus, pageants build a solid camaraderie among the candidates -- a relationship bound by strength and tested by the powerful call of excelling over the others, yet giving their best fairly.
I can say that the people behind these shows have good intentions. Not only do they have the guts to show their talents but they have faith in what they do. They want to achieve something. To help. To succeed. To learn. They know that although they may not have excelled in what they did at one time, in a way, they still have shared something.
See, I know that my friend was wrong. In joining a beauty pageant and being crowned a beauty queen, I have proved one thing. I made others and myself believe that there is more in what we see in things if we learn to appreciate them.
And I did lose something: my insecurities, my fears, and most of all, my biases. I have become a better person. I am no great beauty and I am not that intelligent but I was given a chance to impart the little things that I have.
As a responsible citizen of this nation, and as a young woman, I proudly say that a beauty pageant is the place where smart, confident and gorgeous women can transform themselves into the best they can be: women who dare to excel and give more than what is expected from them; women who commit their lives to sharing what they have; and women who are capable of changing society in their own simple ways of speaking out what they have in mind.
---------------
The contributor, called Kadma by friends, spent her childhood in Sagada, a town where smart women are beautiful.
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