Beauty pageants have a cliché attached to their name for being an outdated hangover of a patriarchal society that values women only for their beauty. But what the critics and some fans fail to look at is the fact that these cliché and outdated competitions have given some of the remarkable women across the world to speak up, raise their voice and take a stand for something they believe in which has eventually led to a change in the society.
The pageant fanatics look at these beauty pageants as an opportunity for women across the world to be empowered and showcasing their diversity, leadership, intelligence, and determination to make a significant change in the society they live in. These beauty pageants have been criticized for various reasons; judging a woman based on beauty, the swimsuit competition, and much more but one of the rounds that are involved in choosing the right and empowered representative for the crown is the question-and-answer round where the divas are put to a grilling session where they are asked a question and they have few seconds to answer them.
The reason why the question-and-answer round is essential is because this round brings out the best of their thoughts in a few seconds. Women today are aiming to make a significant change in the various sectors of society, empowering women and making a firm point that beauty pageants are not just about the looks but more than that.
Here are a few of the smartest and empowering answers from the divas that have left an ever-lasting impression on the minds of the people throughout the years. Let’s look at them.
Back in Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen represented India and was asked, “What is the essence of being a woman?” to which the diva replied, “Just being a woman is God’s gift that all of us must appreciate. The origin of a child is a mother and is a woman. She shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman.” She was the first Indian representative to win the crown and her answer is still remembered as one of the iconic and impressive answers to that question.
Mpule Kwelagobe represented Botswana at Miss Universe 1999 and during the final question and answer round was asked, “If Miss Universe would become pregnant during her reign, could she be allowed to continue as Miss Universe?” Mpule replied, “I think Miss Universe is a symbol of a woman as well, she is celebrating her femininity. And I believe that, if she should fall pregnant, it would not in any way interrupt her duties. But as a woman, she should celebrate her femininity."
Miss Universe India 2000 Lara Dutta who holds the record for the highest marks in the history of Miss Universe was asked, “Right now there's a protest going on, right here in Cyprus, calling the Miss Universe pageant disrespectful of women. Convince them that they're wrong." She answered “I think a pageant like Miss Universe gives us young women a platform to foray into the fields that we want, be it entrepreneurship, be it the armed forces, be it politics. It gives us a platform to voice our opinions and choices, and makes us strong and independent, that we are today.”
Dayana Mendoza represented Venezuela at Miss Universe 2008 and during her final question and answer round was asked whether men or women have it easier in life and why, to which the Venezuelan beauty answered, “Actually God made us share and have differences. The difference is that men think that the faster way to go to a point is to go straight, and women know that the faster way to go to a point is to go through the curves and fixing every curl.”
Miss World Philippines 2016 Catriona Gray was asked about the qualities she thinks would take for a diva to wear Miss World Crown and she replied, "I think first, it takes bravery. To be a Miss World is to carry a burning torch. It is like action carried out by one to illuminate the lives of many. And I would dedicate my whole self, my love for the arts, and my voice to trying to uplift, empower, and educate people. And it would be my greatest honor and duty to hold this torch high enough so that all the world could feel and see its light."
Miss Universe South Africa 2017 Demi Leigh Nel-Peters won the second crown for South Africa as she not only performed exceptionally well at the competition but impressed the judges with her answer when she was asked, “What quality in yourself are you most proud of and how will you apply that quality to your time as Miss Universe?” The confident and strong Demi answered, “As Miss Universe, you must be confident in who you are. Miss Universe must overcome her fears and teach others to do the same. And nothing is ever too much to ask for. That is exactly who I am.”
Miss Universe South Africa 2019 Zozibini Tunzi impressed everyone at the finale night of Miss Universe 2019 when she was asked, "What is the most important thing we should teach young girls today?" Zozibini Tunzi very confidently answered, “I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It's something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time, not because we don't want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity, and that is what we should be teaching these young girls, to take up space. Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself."
Before the diva impressed everyone with her final answer at Miss Universe 2019 and won the crown for South Africa, she was asked, “Through all the darkness that South African women face, emotional, physical, sexual, and economical abuse, what reason do they have to keep smiling?” at the final round of Miss South Africa 2019, to which she answered, “We have absolutely no reason because South African women keep dying every day and people are doing nothing about it. I think it's time to stop asking women what to do and start asking perpetrators to do better, be better, to start treating women the way they deserve to be treated. It is not up to us; it is up to the perpetrators to start doing better.”
These are some of the empowering answers by the representatives that were answered at the final question-and answer round that would make you think about the choices you have made and the changes you need to implement in your life to make the world a better place to live.