As per hearsay/rumors on the internet, Miss Universe 2017 may not have the swimsuit competition in finals! Instead, there will be a pre-taped swimsuit segment by hotel pool, where the girls will explain the importance of fitness in their lives. This is not confirmed yet since it hasn’t been heard from the horse’s mouth. However, if this is true, Miss Universe will join Miss World in giving up swimsuit round from the finals.
In a way it is a wonderful news. The concept of having women roam on the stage in swimsuits has been abhored by many since years. There is nothing wrong with women in swimsuits. But then they are to be wore at the beach. Having ladies wear them on the stage objectifies them. Miss World 2014 Julia Morley first moved the swimsuit round from being an on-stage competition during finals to a separate round which was usually conducted on beach. Then in 2014 she totally scrapped the round calling it sexist and unnecessary. Since Donald Trump dissociated himself from Miss Universe, the contest has been trying to change it’s image and appear feminist. This move of scrapping swimsuits will not be not a surprise at all. We do hope that if this is true, at least 15-20 women get chance to make it to the semifinals instead of just 13 and the evening gown round is done more elaborately with greater airtime for each girl.
There are many who will not like the news. Miss Universe pageant in particularly has been loved for the swimsuit competition. Watching gorgeous, fit women walk on stage in swimsuits and high heels on peppy music has been a key attraction in the finals. Many women who have been in the pageant have expressed their comfort with the round saying that it allowed them to show their fitness and was carried with a lot of professionalism and grace.
Overall we have a neutral stand to this move by Miss Universe (if it really happens). Let us see how they conduct the show and then decide!
Image credits: Miss Diva
I understand the arguments for eliminating or modifying the swimsuit portion of the Miss Universe pageant. However, it IS a beauty pageant. It would not exist if there weren’t a demand for it. People like to look at beautiful women, and they enjoy seeing them in bathing suits. If you remove this element from the pageant, you can pretty much write it’s obituary. Miss America did away with the swimsuit round, and it struggles to get national TV coverage. You can’t find Miss World broadcast live in the US. It’s pretty obvious. You want the pageant to survive, you can’t drop the swimsuits.
I agree 100% with opinions that support bathing costumes staying part of pageants. It’s wonderful to see lovely ladies parading in their swimsuits as part of a BEAUTY contest.
Dear miss universe organisers,
I want to request you to remove the swimsuit round from your process of selection of miss universe.
Let there be dignity in beauty, dignity for women. It is very pathetic to see girls parading in the minimal clothing.
Physical beauty need not be assessed this way.
This is specially sensitive to conservative societies of India etc, where many women do not even attempt just because of the swim suit round.
If you are advocating inclusion from all regions and cultures, there should be more decent process for it.
Your esteemed organisation should feel and take the responsibility of conserving cultural values of all regions and cultures.
Organisations like yours should uphold the overall value system of human beings. Its not correct to go on erasing the value lines and making the standards low. Would the swim suits have been accepted a hundred years before even in western society ? And who knows at this rate, they will not make the contestants parade nude some hundred years from now ? Just going back to animal standards. And the result is so many rapes and misdeeds on innocent women.
You have to be sensitive and responsible for the far reaching impact of your procedures on society. You can’t be indifferent. You can not defend saying that those who know that they have to do this will only participate. You have to be aware of the effect of it on the society. Society is a stakeholder, its not just you and the contestants. What if people argue that if they can parade for miss universe in swim suits, why they can’t attend college in swim suits or something just short of it ? You have to think of the social impact.
I earnestly from depths of my heart with hands folded, with my heart bleeding appeal, plead and pray that swim suit round is removed from this contest.
C.Radha
I agree with you totally and that’s why some people can never try for this 🙂because we are conservative, and just don’t feel comfortable in wearing swimsuits😕
It is called a beauty contest for a reason. Generally this indicates your physical beauty. Thus showing of your physical attributes is a part of the regiment. The women getting on stage obviously understand this or they wouldn’t be there.
I stand with the new decision of Julia Morley …..there is no need for swim suit competition …miss world is the coveted title called beauty with a purpose…and it is in our own hearts
I respect your opinion, Aleena, but I beg to differ. Since the girls are taking part in a beauty contest, they should be judged in all aspects of their beauty, including the physical one. To assess the girls’ physical beauty, the judges need to see them parading in swimsuits, whether one-piece or bikini.
The swimsuit segment is a key feature of the Miss Universe pageant. Physical beauty is a normal part of the contest, so it’s reasonable to require the girls to parade in swimsuits and high heels as part of the judging process.