While many see beauty, a jury of beauty pageants always judges participants on a wide scale. Right from their looks, makeup, unique personality, empathy, empowering demeanor to smartness, a beauty contestant is judged in several ways. That’s how a Miss Universe or World is selected. But, there have been incidents when judges have failed to make the right selection or contestants have violated the rules.
Here are the 7 biggest beauty pageant blunders that caused huge embarrassment to the contestants, forced them to lose their crown, or brought misogyny.
Former Winner Disrespects Mrs. Sri Lanka On Stage
Women disrespecting women, that’s what Mrs. Sri Lanka Pushpika De Silva said after facing embarrassment on the stage by the former winner. During the live event, Caroline Jurie who is the winner of beauty pageant 2019 pulled off the crown of De Silva saying she has violated the rules as she is a divorcee.
Only married participants were allowed as per the protocols of the event. Silva left the stage in anger crying saying this is a disrespect to her and will file legal action against the former winner. Justifying her marital status, Silva said she has separated from her husband but has not taken a divorce. Caroline is now arrested for her actions.
Criticism Over Twerking
via:thefiji
Twerking put Miss Papua New Guinea into trouble and became a subject of criticism raising question of what is an ideal role model supposed to do to promote the values and principles of a pageant platform?
Lucy Maino was trolled by thousands of users on her video after which the pageant committee didn’t support her and released Lucy from her duties.
Age Controversy
Beauty Pageants across the globe have age bars for the contestants breaching which means disqualification from the contest. Souphavady Phonsavanh from Laos returned her crown of Miss World Laos 2021 after her official ID card was leaked online.
via:knowinsiders
As per the card, she is 30 years old whereas the legal age to participate in a contest is between 17-26. Following which she made a Facebook announcement and surrendered the crown saying she can no longer hold the title.
Wrong Winner Announcement
And the Miss Universe 2015 is Miss Colombia, when Steve Harvey made the announcement in the finals of the beauty pageant everyone was filled with joy. It was a dream come true for Ariadna Gutierrez who won the title but all those dreams shattered with a tweet later. The actual winner was Miss Phillippines Pia Wurtzbach.
This isn’t the first time when Steve made such a big blunder at a global event, in 2019 he again announced the wrong winner.
Money Can’t Buy Crown
So true, the beauty pageant titles are not only given to the beautiful faces. Judges look for someone who is compassionate, elegant, empathic, charismatic, and can empower everyone. Money doesn’t fit into it but the story of Miss Amazon 2015 doesn’t say it all.
Carol Toledo who won the contest in 2015 faced a humiliating situation when a Brazilian beauty contestant snatched the crown from her head. She said Carol did not deserve the title claiming she gave money for the title.
Miss America Stripped Her Title Over Nude Photos
Vanessa Williams was the first woman of mixed race who won the Miss America title. Unfortunately, her happiness was short-term as a nude photoshoot for Penthouse Magazine forced her to strip the crown.
via:missbeautypageants
It was back in the 1980s. Vanessa received an apology later in 2016 from the head of the organization but the damage was already done.
Major Lies of Miss USA
Mary Leona Gage from America won the title in 1957 after which her life changed in a way she had not imagined. She became a drug addict, tried to kill herself, faced allegations of child abuse, and many more over an incident of de-crowning.
via:thecut
Soon after crowning Mary with the title of Miss USA, officials discovered that she lied about her marital status and her age. She was 18, married, and had two children at the time of participation. Mary said modeling was a way to escape the hardships and oppression she faced during the marriage. But, losing the title turned her life in more bad ways causing her to suffer throughout her life.