I appreciate that many of us attended the battle for the country’s most desirable crown, Miss Botswana, on Friday night, and still question if the girl who won was fit to be crowned the country’s beauty queen.
Our judgements are based on her height, slim body, medium bust, pencil thin lips, slightly pronounced hips, a high cheekbone plus an element of intelligence.
Hey, if that is the case, who then will notice the short beautiful women of Japan, China or the big, round beauties of Africa?
Haven’t we seen wonders in Serowe?
Where will the San and the Basarwa women fit? How about the dark women of Mali or Sudan?
Botswana has had models like Lorato ‘Lala’ Tebogo, Malebogo Marumoagae and Emma Wareus who have made a name in the industry. But observers have always asked: on which definition of beauty are the models riding on?
The debate has sparked controversy among traditionalists, beauticians and even models as to what yardstick needs to be used to define beauty in a woman.
Is there a universal definition of beauty or is it the Westerner’s definition of beauty?
Or we have been shaped to conform to a certain definition of beauty- that is not only outward, but also demeaning of the female gender.
The media as well as the beauty contest franchises have made us believe that this is the only definition available and the society, especially our young girls, have no doubt swallowed the lie.
Looking at the modeling industry, it looks like a glamorous and alluring industry, but over the years, there have been a number of sordid scandals involving the ‘super models’.
For example, Naomi Campbell has been arrested a number of times. At some stage, she faced charges of assault.
Kate Moss got in trouble with cocaine during a turbulent relationship with a British punk rocker.
Christie has had trouble in her personal life finding men she can trust. And Gia, a supermodel in the late ’70s, became a drug addict and died from AIDS.
The question then arises: is it then about the outer beauty or the one inside or, better still, a combination of both?
In an attempt to find out from the general populace on which beauty the models are riding on, diverse views emerged, with most people criticising the beauty our models are riding on as being unsubstantiated, unbecoming and demeaning to a woman.
A pastor from Daily Bread Church, Enoch Lentswe, said, “Beauty is not a commodity that has to be commercialised and auctioned on the market through these pageants. These are all European concepts because, as Africans, we are dignified without exposing ourselves in such dressing like bikinis. Women who embody African values according to their upbringing are beautiful. It is all about what is inside them and their character,” he said.
He said that the artificial criterion of defining beauty has been adopted by Africa but, sadly, it does not carry any high standards because it is temporary and fades with time.
Commenting on the beauty models are concentrating on, local beautician, Kgomotso Pilane, said young models lacked proper grooming on the importance of the inner person who should stand out more than the physical one.
“A woman’s beauty is something that fades away as she grows older and if we base on the outward beauty, we are missing it. Our focal beauty should be the inner beauty,” she said.
Pilane said the celebrity status that the models are endowed with normally becomes too “heavy” on the young women who usually lose focus on what is important.
She said, as a woman, to have the celebrity status where every man is admiring you is a great challenge as you end up wanting to please them all. Pilane said that what is more important is the inside beauty not the outward beauty.
A UB student, Naledi Kutjwe, said the beauty the models are riding on is purely unfounded, saying “women should not be paraded before a panel of judges, to be marked out of ten on their outer shell, their walk, or their make-up and hair. Beauty can never be paraded as it exists for its sake rather than for consumption.”
Sharing his opinion, Dr Luke, a traditionalist, criticised the industry itself and the so-called definition of beauty saying, “Men don’t want to marry anymore because they want a woman who is good-looking like a model not the character; beauty pageants should be banned.”
Then on what beauty should our models ride on?
