Beauty for a Cause

Beauty for a Cause is the slogan of the Miss Earth beauty pageant adopted since the pageant's inception in 2001. It empowers the contestants to work with an environmental advocacy that is personally significant to them. The first Beauty for a Cause prize was awarded in 2003.[1][2]

Advocacy

The connotation that all pageant contestants advocates world peace is a stereotype that is no longer true and having a platform is a part of the competition.[3] Since many women around the world admire and aspire to be a beauty queen, Carousel Productions believed beauty queens would be an effective advocate of worthy causes.[4] In the United States, it was reported in 2013 that there were about 100,000 beauty contests held each year with more than 2.5 million women to compete for a chance to win a beauty title.[5]

The Miss Earth pageant raises public awareness about environmental protection and social action to reduce climate change where the delegates of the pageant promotes "5Rs", Re-think, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Respect.[6]

Miss Earth places greater weight on the intellectual abilities of a delegate more than any pageant by electing the winner based largely on her capability to be an effective ambassador of the earth and only secondarily on her beauty.[7] Consequently, the Miss Earth candidates of each participating countries or territories are required to undertake extensive preparation and training in comprehending and addressing environmental issues and problems.[7] The pageant requires the delegates to be knowledgeable about environmental protection, and winners are expected to advocate for and become involved with environmental awareness campaigns worldwide through activities like tree plantings, eco-fashion shows, and coastal clean-ups.[8] The delegates serve as a role model in upholding the advocacy of preserving and restoring the environment.[9]

Special award

The Beauty for a Cause award was first given in the Miss Earth 2003 competition to the candidate who made the most significant social contribution. Miss Afghanistan 2003, Vida Samadzai, received the award for helping found a US-based women's charity that seeks to raise awareness of women's rights and education in Afghanistan by “symbolizing the newfound confidence, courage and spirit of today’s women and representing the victory of women’s rights and various social, personal and religious struggles”. The award was then discontinued for three years.[10][11]

The award was reinstated in the finals of Miss Earth 2007 to honor the delegate with the most significant contribution in the preservation and protection of the environment.[12] Miss South Africa Bokang Montjane was the second recipient of the Beauty for a Cause award, given at the conclusion of the 7th edition of Miss Earth pageant that took place on November 11, 2007 at the University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines. [13][14]

In 2020, Miss Australia Brittany Dickson, a veterinarian and brain cancer survivor received the Eco Angel Special Award, the equivalent of Beauty for a Cause award in the Miss Earth 2020 pageant.[15][16][17]

References
  1. Associated Press, News Online (November 6, 2003). "Miss Afghanistan named "beauty for a cause'". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
  2. Winters, Rebecca (November 10, 2003). "Bod For A Burqa?". Time Magazine. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
  3. Gum, Alyssa (9 November 2017). "How Beauty Pageants Empower Women". Her Campus Media. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  4. News, Derry (11 May 2018). "Dungloe woman a 'Miss Earth' finalist". Donegal News. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  5. News, Latina (27 August 2013). "An international beauty pageant where everyone's pet cause is the environment". Latina Lista. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  6. EFE, Agencies (16 May 2016). "Miss Philippines Earth aspirants call for recycling as final event nears". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  7. Fernando, Emmanuel Q (15 December 2007). "Feminism, Beauty Pageants And The Environment". The Manila Times. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  8. Warner, Claire (6 December 2018). "What Is The Miss Earth Pageant? Angelia Ong Isn't The Only Winner You Need To Know". Bustle. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  9. News, Guyana (5 October 2018). "Miss Earth Guyana 2018 Xamiera Kippins arrives in the Philippines". Guyana Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  10. "CNN World News: Beauty prize for Miss Afghanistan". Archived from the original on 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  11. "Lauded at pageant, woman condemned by Afghan officials". The Michigan Daily. Associated Press. 2003-11-10. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  12. "Miss Earth Official website: Miss Earth in Lucky Seven Finds Lucky Ladies". Archived from the original on 2007-10-21. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  13. "GMA News TV: Fil-Canadian Jessica Nicole Trisko crowned Miss Earth". Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  14. "Miss Earth 2007 comes from Canada!". Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
  15. "USA's Lindsey Coffey is Miss Earth 2020". Tempo - The Nation's Fastest Growing Newspaper. 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  16. "American beauty crowned Miss Earth 2020". Manila Bulletin. 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  17. News, Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN (2020-10-15). "WATCH: Australian cancer survivor removes wig at Miss Earth 2020 talent contest". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 2020-12-27.

Further reading
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