(ThyBlackMan.com) My daughter Kathryn recently called me from New York to shout at me incredulously: “Dad, did you realize that the five major beauty pageants this year all have crown holders that look like me!”
America’s beauty queens are all Black women!
I have told my aspiring daughter since 2nd grade; who now holds a PhD; that she was as beautiful as any other; further that Black beauty is more than just a condition it is a mindset in today’s world of beauty conscious paradigms. “One day”, I said to her; “Beauty queens of the world will look just like you!” Eye-catching for the first time at the same time, the five major beauty pageant crowns are currently in the hands of black women. These are not the first women to be crowned with their respective honors. We have had a black woman as Miss Universe back in 1977, a Miss America in 1984, a Miss USA in 1990, and a black woman for Miss Teen USA in 1991. However, it was never a simultaneous event, as Joe Biden might say: “This is a big …. Deal!” You may concur, if you’re an African American or a person that believes that what’s fair is fair; if everyone plays by the same set of rules.
We live today in an era where the president (Donald J. Trump), who once owned a thriving beauty pageant said in reference to a Black finalist; “I am not interested in promoting the cause of half-breeds,” and he was not. Organizations that institute these pageants receive a lot of criticism on their definition of beauty standards. The winners we have today demonstrate that a lot has changed behind the scenes. In the words of the recently crowned Miss Universe, Zozobini Tunzi, it is as significant as opening a door and she is lucky enough to be the first one through (Gardner, 2019) Now, she is the embodiment that young dark skin black girls see as a beauty standard in their lives aside from the usual Barbie doll-like curves and light skin Black or European featured women; of any race.
Race, at times, gets downplayed as not being an important factor, but it is vital to a mixed society as per history. Representation is crucial, and this world class evident presently diametric in comparison to the demonstrations back in 1968 when no black woman had ever arisen to be a finalist or even one of those under consideration for the shortlist. Now, everyone’s diverse beauty contemplation is taken into consideration. It is like the adoration that came about as a result of the cancellation of the swimsuit platform. Judging contestants from their physical appearances became a stretch and now one may wear what makes them feel comfortable, beautiful or empowered; including natural hairstyles worn with pride by approving Black women. Talent and what one promotes as that which reflects upon today’s contemporary social issues and is the basis of judgement on whether one deserves to win or not (Gardner, 2018). This sort of cultural awareness and revolutionary thinking shows that the organization and administration of the individual pageants are clearly moving in the right direction.
Beauty is Only Skin Deep Some say!
As my daughter will tell you: “If anyone is still entertaining doubts about the aesthetic value of black girls then it’s time the person got rid of that mindset. You are not going to keep on doubting when it’s been confirmed and proven that these black lady folk are the most beautiful women on our planet earth.” Yes, Kathryn; Gone are the days when black girls doubted even the authenticity of their beauty. This is a season of pomp and pageantry as some would say, a time when black women are beginning to make it happen in a magnificent way. It’s a season to show up; show off and even show out! A time where the flower of their natural beauty begins to blossom and to give away that fragrance to those who dare come around to watch or gander to take a look.
The most recent of these prototypes is Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaican origin emerging as miss world title holder and bringing the number of black women holding these great titles to five, Miss America Nia Franklin, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst, Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi of South African origin and Miss Teen USA Kaliegh Garris. This was an unheard–of as far back as the days of slavery when these ladies were called names for one aspect of their body or the other. But today, mindsets are swapping archetypes and this is not just a street corner rumor, its official! Black women from now on will surely be treated as beautiful and it will no longer matter what anyone thinks about them after this historical moment because it has been confirmed 5 times in national/international head to head competitions to be so. The challenges have been enormous, black girls have come a long way sailing through an ocean of criticism and rejection of their past. “I have New York grit…I understand what it means to work hard.” (Nia Franklin, 2019).
The list of current title holders should ignite feelings of a hopeful future for the black women and those who care about beauty and even for those who don’t care about it because it is already a fact that these black women mentors; though they were ignored are now seeing the end of the tunnel, or through the preverbal glass ceiling; it’s time for them to celebrate victory though their triumph makes some people uncomfortable, yet, that is how the overwhelmed should feel anyway! Yes, my dear daughter Kathryn; you’re right—these five Black women specimens are talented and beautiful; and of course…they look just like you!
References
Gardner, A. (2018, June 5). The Miss America Pageant Will No Longer Include a Swimsuit
Competition. Retrieved from https://www.glamour.com/story/miss-america-pageant-scraps-swimsuit-competition.
Gardner, A. (2019, December 9). For the First Time, Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen
USA, and Now Miss Universe Are All Black Women. Retrieved from
David Tusing, 2019, Who is Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh? The 23-year-old Miss Jamaica won with her inspiring message about women’s empowerment cited from https://gulfnews.com/photos/who-is-miss-world-2019-toni-ann-singh-1.1576398972301?slide=6
Miss America 2019 Nia Imani Franklin Classically trained opera singer and advocate for the arts cited from http://www.missamerica.org/titleholders/2019-new-york/
Marisa Dellatto, 2019, Miss USA Cheslie Kryst reveals national costume for Miss Universe cited from https://nypost.com/2019/12/01/miss-usa-cheslie-kryst-reveals-national-costume-for-miss-universe/
Chevaz Clarke, 2019, Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi on her activism and why she refused to wear a wig cited from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/miss-universe-zozibini-tunzi-south-africa-activism-natural-hair-interview-making-history-2019-12-17/
Tatiana Diaz, 2019, The New Miss Teen USA Was Crowned Wearing Her Natural Curls cited from http://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/04/231179/miss-teen-usa-kaliegh-garris-natural-hair-interview
Staff Writer; Stanley G. Buford
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