Beauty Pageants

Beauty pageants or beauty contests are competitions where female contestants are judged primarily on their physical appearance. Although some pageants assess nonphysical characteristics such as personality, intelligence, and talent, the main criterion is physical attractiveness. A panel of judges typically selects the pageant winner who is then crowned as a “beauty queen.”

The first American beauty pageant was held in 1854 by P. T. Barnum, an entertainer and circus founder. However, the pageant was likened to a side show and it quickly closed down due to public protest. In the late 19th century, newspapers began hosting photo-based beauty contests. Soon after, the first “bathing beauty pageants” took place and ultimately became a regular part of summer beach life in an effort to draw tourists to beaches across the country. Miss America, which continues to run today, was borne of these earlier beach-centered pageants. First held in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1921, Miss America incorporated both physical and mental judging criteria and included both an evening gown showcase and a talent show.

It was not until World War II, when beauty queens were recruited to sell bonds and to entertain troops, that mainstream America began to warm to the idea of beauty pageants. These changing sentiments led to the emergence of a number of smaller U.S. pageants in the 1950s. Contests flourished as a means of promoting local events and products. During this same time period, beauty pageants became popular on college campuses.

In 1926, the first international beauty pageant was held in Galveston, Texas. The contest, known as the International Pageant of Pulchritude, attracted contestants from all over the world. The winner, crowned “Miss Universe,” earned publicity along with a $2,500 cash prize. The pageant was discontinued in 1932, largely due to the financial strain of the Great Depression, but also because several religious and women's groups pressured organizers to stop the pageant because they considered it distasteful to women. Today, international competitions are held regularly including the Miss World competition (founded in 1951), Miss Universe (founded in 1952), Miss International (founded in 1960), and Miss Earth (founded in 2001). Estimates indicate that nearly 700,000 pageants occur globally each year.

The newest form of beauty pageant is strikingly similar to the newspaper photo-based contests of the 19th century. Albeit Web-based, these new pageants allow a vast number of contestants to enter who are then judged by Website visitors who directly select winners. These modern beauty pageants permit non-traditional contestants to compete, including men, transgendered individuals, people with disabilities, and plus-size women.