Current Events > It's official, black women are the most beautiful women in the world. Now what?

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https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/beauty-pageants-miss-world-miss-america-miss-usa-miss-teen-usa-crown-act-20191218.html

If were going by pageant results, 2019 has been deemed the year of the beautiful black woman. On Saturday, Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica was crowned Miss World. Last week, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was named Miss Universe. And in May, Kaliegh Garris and Cheslie Kryst were crowned Miss Teen USA and Miss USA, respectively. Until Thursday, when a new Miss America is crowned, Nia Franklin retains the title. Is crowning five black women queens of the worlds most prestigious pageants historic? Yes. Is it a big deal that theyre reigning at the same time? Yes. Thats important. Thats dope. Thats the definition of #blackgirlmagic. But while the attention is deserved, I find the intentions questionable. Why are pageants around the world suddenly so inclusive?

Beauty pageants have a history mired in racism, so much so that black people for decades had to hold pageants in our own communities and college campuses because we werent allowed to participate in white pageants. That means even the most beautiful black women because lets face it, the emphasis is on beauty didnt have the same access as, perhaps, even less attractive white counterparts for scholarship opportunities, jobs, or exposure. It wasnt until 1970 that Cheryl Brown, Miss Iowa, became the first black woman to compete in the national Miss America pageant. I was just 11 when Vanessa Williams stunned the world and became the first black Miss America in 1984. And while I remember how happy we were that a black woman had finally won, I also remember feeling that black beauty pageant winners would only ever be light-skinned girls with blue/green eyes. Regardless of that achievement, beauty pageants went about their business, crowning winners and putting mainstream beauty first. It wasnt until repercussions from the #MeToo movement that pageant organizers, especially Miss America, really looked inward. All of a sudden they were rethinking the long-held belief that, above all, a womans most important job was to fit a certain beauty ideal. Competition between women became much more frowned upon. We should be holding each other up, not tearing each other down based on silly things like the curl of our eyelashes, right? Intelligence trumped evening gowns.

Finally. Thats why I find it peculiar that now is when black women are being crowned at such a clip. Are we just being included to de-emphasize the inherent sexism of pageants? Even though all of these sisters with varying complexions and hair textures are defining beauty, Im left feeling like we were invited to the party after everyone else went home. This world, however, still has a chance to prove me wrong. If, as a result of these five wins, everyday black women are treated like we are beautiful, there is hope.

https://i.imgur.com/RMOKz2i.jpg



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Triggered people in 3....2....

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Not enough t h i c c ebony beauties, imo.


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About time black women dominated. Nice change of pace from seeing white people win every year.

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