FOR SOME REASON, although I was always competitive, I was never interested in entering a pageant. Truth be told, with two “knock knees”, a flat behind and a nickname of “Mumm-Ra” (the ugliest cartoon character on Cartoon Network at that time) my guardian angel was possibly manoeuvring in my best interest.
Two months ago, I spoke to a wonderful young lady about her pageant experience and her account was heartbreaking. She lamented that lack of sponsorship; lack of genuine concern by the pageant organisers for any of the contestants, and lack of accountability on the organiser’s part for not delivering on their prize promises. I won’t mention which pageant it was because these are complaints heard from various contestants of many pageants.
I tried to show the “positive” in every negative but by the time our conversation ended, I asked myself why some young women waste their time.
With reference to sponsorship, what we Bajans need to understand is how sponsorship works and the difference between sponsorship and corporate social responsibility. In these times, when everyone is feeling the pinch, businesses are not inclined to throw their profits in your direction unless they are going to get something in return. Sponsorship does not work when you approach a company with a sad story about your dream to be a pageant queen, film producer or “the future Rihanna”, when you have done no work with your dream and expect them to write you a cheque for $500.
Sponsorship also does not work when you expect sponsors to completely cover all of your costs and you do not have a sound business model or strategic plan for how they can benefit by writing you the cheque. With sponsorship, there must be a clear business benefit for the company writing your cheque. Corporate social responsibility (CSR), on the other hand, has been described as “those business practices involving initiatives that benefit society. CSR can encompass a wide variety of tactics, from giving away a portion of a company’s proceeds to charity, to implementing “greener” business operations”. Being in a pageant ain none ah dem.
My first issue with pageantry is the concept that you enter a pageant to “build self-confidence”. This entire notion is baffling. Would you drive a car without acquiring a driver’s licence? Any time I hear a young lady say that she has entered a pageant to build her self-confidence, my heart melts. Pageants are not the place to build self-confidence. This can be likened to entering a Formula One race, with millions watching, simply to pass your driving test – putting de cart before de horse. It is doubtful whether anyone who had this reason for being in a pageant has ever won. After all, as with any competition, the winner is usually the person who is confident enough to enter to win. Confidence does not work like that. If you don’t have confidence before, being in a pageant won’t cure you of your insecurities.
The second issue is one I have with the majority of competitions. When people are about to announce the winner they say, “Now everyone is a winner here.” Yes, everyone is a “winner” because whether or not there is a life lesson learnt from the experience or the trophy, everyone should have gained something.
However, competitions are competitive. If you don’t want to be competitive don’t enter a competition. There is, in reality, only one winner. Many people compete for something that only one person will take home. This ought not to be trivialised or swept under the rug. Perhaps if we were more competitive in certain areas, there would be a paradigm shift in how we view excellence. If you want to win, you bring your best to the table. Simple.
What I find attractive about pageants are certain opportunities for personal development. There are many young women who may not be able to afford etiquette classes, gym membership or public speaking sessions. Many pageants offer these short courses as a part of the entire exercise and they have proven to be beneficial to many contestants.
I saw quite a few people highlight that pageants and pageant queens are not supported in Barbados. Was I dreaming when I saw all the support given to Shannon Harris? Perhaps we need a big win. People respond to “big wins”. Rihanna is an entertainment “big win”. Usain Bolt is a sports “big win”. When people see wins, they further understand the possibilities.
So, would I advise an 18-year-old to enter a local pageant? I am very unsure.
Toni Thorne is a young entrepreneur and World Economic Forum Global Shaper and JCI Outstanding Young Person of the World. She loves a great debate and the wonders of island life. Email: [email protected].
