Beauty is Not a Contest

Description

No to Miss-Ogyny! Protest against Miss England 6:30pm Monday 20th of July

Called for by Mind the Gap: London Student Feminists, Object, London Feminist Network, Feminist Fightback, NUS, UNISON, UCU, and Socialist Worker Student Society.

Speakers include
JUDITH ORR- author of ‘Sexism and the System’
ALEX CALLINICOS- Author and professor from Kings College
LIV BAILEY- NUS Women’s Officer
OBJECT representative

40 years ago feminist activists succeeded in banning the Miss World contest. In celebration of this eminent anniversary, we will ban it again and invite you to join us in the struggle.

6:30pm Hilton Edgeware Road.


WHY PROTEST?

The 2009 Miss England claims to be ‘Myth Busting’ including degree students, war veterans and sports women. It also supports B-eat and eating disorders charity and claims to have ‘no size zeros’. Yet, whatever shape, size, ethnicity, and occupation the contestants are, the competition still remains a beauty contest; promoting the judgment of women according to set parameters. Whether they are an Iraq veteran, or a clinical psychologist, upon that platform their worth is reduced to a vacuous stereotype.

OBJECTIFICATION

We see the resurgence of beauty pageants as indicative of a backlash against the fragile gains that feminism has won. In a society where ¼ women will experience violence, 92% of vice chancellors are women and 75% of people living in poverty are women, challenging the objectication of women is becoming widely recognised as attacking the roots of gender subordination in wider society. OBJECT sees the objectification of women as seen in advertising, lads mags, strip clubs, and beauty pageants as promoting the dehumanisation of women, that leads them to be seen as subordinate in society, encouraging and legitimising exploitation and violence. See OBJECTs website for more info, evidence and how you can take action.

DISCRIMINATION AND WELFARE

The notion of beauty attached to the image promoted by beauty pageants is discriminatory according to gender, sexuality, age, race, and disability. In a society where we are bombarded with commercial images, trying to uglify us into buy into this notion of beauty, it is almost impossible not to judge oneself and each other according to these ideals. Whether we choose to accept or reject them we are left chasing what is essentially a mirage of digitally touched up perfection, creating body disphormia that leads to eating disorders, depression, and pits women against one another in life, not just on a platform.

Only one woman can win a crown, pageants divide rather unite us, preventing us from demanding our rights and freedoms.


FOR MORE INFO

Mind the Gap http://londonstudentfeminists.blogspot.com/ (flier)
Object http://object.org.uk/index.php/campaigns/beauty-pageants (includes useful FAQs and factsheet)
Miss England http://www.missengland.info/

Info and press enquiries contact londonstudentfeminists@... or call 07595672964


20th of July

Sandrine Levêque
Campaigns Manager

sandrine@...   |  07975 897 005

 

Challenging ‘sex object culture’ - the increased sexual objectification of women
Join our campaign today @ www.object.org.uk