I don’t quite know where to begin with this one…. Rima Fakih of Michigan was crowned Miss USA this week to much fanfare and controversy. Initially the controversy centred on the fact that she was *gasp* a Muslim! And an immigrant! The US conservative press went into overdrive with several reporters branding her a ‘’terrorist’’, an ‘’extremist’’ and, my personal favourite ‘’Miss Hezbollah’’. Conspiracy theories ensued that claimed her foray into the contest was financed by ‘Islamic terrorists’. Well yes, of course. Muslim extremists are all for young women strutting down a stage in a bikini watched by millions advocating that birth control should be free. US bloggers are already claiming that she was not the true winner but it was all political. Ah, that old ‘PC gone mad’ chestnut.
As if this wasn’t bad enough, there was more controversy coming Rima’s way. Today it was ‘uncovered’ that not only is she a Muslim but that she is also a ‘sleazy stripper’. I say ‘uncovered’ when in fact rather than this discovery being the breakthrough of an investigative journalist, the pictures were quite openly on a Michigan radio station’s website and have been for three years. However, it appears that this may now put her crown in jeopardy.
Right, let’s unpick this one:
1. She was not a ‘sleazy stripper’. In fact she didn’t even strip. She won a radio show where the prize was pole dancing lessons. The lesson took place in a women only club and Rima wore shorts and a vest.
2. Does nobody else find this hypocrisy utterly laughable? Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t Miss USA all about thin, attractive, heavily made up women wearing bikinis, lingerie and evening dresses and parading up and down a catwalk before ‘judges’ – including the delightful Donald Trump – who pick their appearance apart and award them points like show ponies? Yes I thought so. So errrrr I am confused. What is the problem with the fact she has, on other occasions, bared her flesh and appeared to be sexy and sexual? The photos on the Miss USA website show her lounging on a bed pouting seductively in bra, knickers, stockings and heels. She looked a lot less sleazy dressed for her pole dancing lesson.
3. Finally and most importantly. Its 2010 people. Seriously, why do these contests still even exist? Supporters claim that these contests are ‘’not just about beauty on the outside but beauty on the inside too’’. So why the mandatory bikinis? Those that claim that Miss USA, Miss World etc are archaic and exploitative are branded mad feminists. In this case the critics are correct. I am a feminist and it makes me bloody mad.
What about calenders of men in the buff? Is that exploiting men??
ReplyDeleteWas that comment meant for the SWAGS calendar post? In general terms, in answer to your question, I dont think it's in any way comparable. Men havent spent hundreds of years being opressed and sexually objectified by women. Nudity for the sake of nudity can be offensive to some so yes I suppose people could argue that men stripping or male nude calendars are exploitative, sure. I dont think so. Men have historically attempted to control the sexuality of women, making them live up to an ideal of feminity and sexuality which is dictated by men. Miss World contests or calendars like the SWAGS calendar simply reinforce the notion of woman as sex objects. Men havent fought for hundreds of years to be taken out of that sex object box so I dont see it as the same thing. Men aren't 'pornified' in our society and the existance of male nude calendars dont make scores of women wolf whistle and harrass men walking down the street. The boys I work with are all informed by porn. Every single one of them, and its that image of women (plucked, tanned, tiny, submissive and always up for it) that they think is normal. And girls feel they have to live up to that image which is dangerous. If male nude calendars were rife and men were being objectified in the same I would totally agree it was equally exploitative but it's just not the case.
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