Anger as white woman wins black college beauty pageant

[nancydrew]

Homecoming Queen is determined by student body votes. Sounds like a bunch of racist bitter bitches to me.

[kingcap72]

"We all had to go through a lot more racial intolerance than what she had to in a pageant," said Brittany Riddock, 19, a sophomore public relations major from Atlanta. "There is no comparison at all between a black man becoming president and a white woman winning a beauty pageant at a black school."

Good grief. Racial intolerance is racial intolerance, regardless of which side it's coming from.

[Melyanna]

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Good grief. Racial intolerance is racial intolerance, regardless of which side it's coming from.

I agree with you 100%

[crumpet]

This sucks.

First of all, I'm well aware of how black women were excluded from beauty pageants in the past and I understand the reasoning for establishing black beauty pageants. The history of why it was necessary totally sucks. On the other hand, it's mildly amusing that we women complain whenever we get excluded from being objectified and judged for our looks. I mean, really, why shouldn't all races of women have an equal opportunity to parade around half naked and be judged for how they measure up?

That said, at some point we need to let some of these divided systems go even if all things aren't all socially equal yet (this goes for gender segregated schools and the like as well). Black women and women of all races are allowed to participate in all mainstream pageants as well as race/ethnicity specific ones. However, white women are only permitted to be in the all inclusive ones. I think that is ridiculous, not because one kind of beauty is better than another but because there are different types of beauty and I can see having pageants (if one must have them at all) for different ethnic/racial groups who share some of the same characterisitcs as it seems those would be more fair given that judges can be biased towards one group or another.

The same issue comes up with mainstream fashion magazines. People complain that Vogue or Elle or Cosmo don't have enough women of color on their covers or pages. Those magazines are expected to be inclusive of every demographic while Jet and Essence are clearly focused on the black community almost exclusively (and those magazines don't bother me at all). The truth is, black women and white women tend to purchase different types of cosmetics and beauty products, so what the hell is so awful about having some magazines primarily geared towards the white demographic?

[ConstanceSpry]

The looks on the other girls' faces are priceless.

[crumpet]

Originally Posted by ConstanceSpry

The looks on the other girls' faces are priceless.

I swear!!!

[lurkur]

Originally Posted by crumpet

This sucks.

First of all, I'm well aware of how black women were excluded from beauty pageants in the past and I understand the reasoning for establishing black beauty pageants. The history of why it was necessary totally sucks. On the other hand, it's mildly amusing that we women complain whenever we get excluded from being objectified and judged for our looks. I mean, really, why shouldn't all races of women have an equal opportunity to parade around half naked and be judged for how they measure up?

That said, at some point we need to let some of these divided systems go even if all things aren't all socially equal yet (this goes for gender segregated schools and the like as well). Black women and women of all races are allowed to participate in all mainstream pageants as well as race/ethnicity specific ones. However, white women are only permitted to be in the all inclusive ones. I think that is ridiculous, not because one kind of beauty is better than another but because there are different types of beauty and I can see having pageants (if one must have them at all) for different ethnic/racial groups who share some of the same characterisitcs as it seems those would be more fair given that judges can be biased towards one group or another.

The same issue comes up with mainstream fashion magazines. People complain that Vogue or Elle or Cosmo don't have enough women of color on their covers or pages. Those magazines are expected to be inclusive of every demographic while Jet and Essence are clearly focused on the black community almost exclusively (and those magazines don't bother me at all). The truth is, black women and white women tend to purchase different types of cosmetics and beauty products, so what the hell is so awful about having some magazines primarily geared towards the white demographic?

Yes & no. Because these beauty contests are run by private organizations (do they have public beauty contests??), they can make up their own rules. You can be sure that there are white-only beauty contests. They are permitted, just like black-only contests are, because the supposed freedom of speech and respect of private property allows people to make their own rules.

But, although they are all permitted, they won't both be socially accepted. Definitely a white-only beauty contest would raise more eyebrows because of the historical context. I agree people should be questioning the premise of a "beauty contest" in the first place, but that is a whole other can of worms. The fashion magazines don't want people to think they're pretty, they want them to buy a bunch of crap to become pretty. Creating a "black mag" to tap into a market and create a consumer base is ridiculous.

On the other hand, I understand how legitimate black organizations, which are obviously focusing on a certain population, developed, first through legal requirements, and then through providing a venue for those who had little other outlets. If the existing institutions, whether through intent or chance, end up essentially white-only, "others" become excluded from the artistic, literary, journalistic, cultural, political, etc. record. Their experiences will vanish over time, unless someone "higher up" happens to give them a mention in an aside of the "real" story. So when whoever "others" gather together to fulfill a need, creating a new genre, if you will, it might be more socially acceptable. The criticism of white-only institutions often juxtapose that the existing environment may already be white-only, so there does not seem to be a need for creating a new genre except for the very purposes of exclusion.

[buttmunch]

Originally Posted by Beeyotch

I wonder on what basis she won, because she's not the prettiest one in the picture.

It was the interview section, where she promised to save all the world's children. That shit really works.

[BITTER]

Originally Posted by buttmunch

It was the interview section, where she promised to save all the world's children. That shit really works.

I know - that is how I won Miss Pennsylvania. I also had a good weave.

[FriendOrFoe]

This pageant is actually a prelim in the Miss America system. The winner goes on to compete for the state title and that winner for the Miss America title. So the pageant is judged on Miss America standards which include interview, swimsuit and formalwear. Each girl must also have a platform that they promote within the community during their reign.

Unfortunately, this college ties the homecoming queen title into this pageant, which I think is a mistake. The biggest complaint is that this girl attends classes at a satellite campus instead of the main campus. At least that is the complaint that is being voiced out loud.

[hustle4alivin]

Originally Posted by FriendOrFoe

This pageant is actually a prelim in the Miss America system. The winner goes on to compete for the state title and that winner for the Miss America title. So the pageant is judged on Miss America standards which include interview, swimsuit and formalwear. Each girl must also have a platform that they promote within the community during their reign.

Unfortunately, this college ties the homecoming queen title into this pageant, which I think is a mistake. The biggest complaint is that this girl attends classes at a satellite campus instead of the main campus. At least that is the complaint that is being voiced out loud.

Bolded for emphasis. I have a relative that works at this college and that's what I hear the main beef is. Hampton U is a lot more diverse than many people think it is.