#pageants

A while back, a mutual of mine got an ask that basically hinted at beauty pageant queens having nothing to offer and therefore sparking absolutely no interest in men. The ask and my response can actually be found here. I remember how much the ask threw me for a loop because not only was it untrue in every sense, but I then found myself wondering what world that anon lived in where pageant queens weren't desired.

Anyone who holds that opinion doesn't understand pageantry, at all in my opinion. Yes beauty pageant contestants and winners all have one thing in common; their beauty. They're all 10/10 and have amazing figures and equally amazing hair and makeup. However, there are many other things they have in common that the average person overlooks.

First and foremost, they are educated!

Ayeesha Aiman, Miss India 2015, pursued a Mechanical engineering degree and later studied Aircraft Maintenance Engineering at the Indian Institute of Aeronautics.

Allison Farris, Miss DC 2018, is a software developer at Microsoft.

Deshauna Barber, Miss USA 2016, worked as an IT analyst for the United States Department of Commerce. She earned her master's degree in management information systems and services.

Beauty pageant contestants often go through training that teaches them the kind of life skills we all need. They are conducted on things such as communication and social graces. You'll find that more often than not, a beauty pageant contestant has no problem making herself comfortable in a crowded room and adopting the persona that's needed to hold engaging conversations.

They are guided on how to think fast and answer questions not only in a timely manner, but how to articulate their thoughts well. They often understand things like decorum and respectability.

A pretty face is never enough in these competitions. These women absolutely have to be brilliant and charming and educated if they want to win. That's a fact.

If you keep up with pageants, then you're probably familiar with Lauren Upton. Her "dumb" answer to a question she was given is what she was remembered for for years. Her beauty didn't matter because all of these girls were beautiful. Her other answers to other questions didn't matter either. She made headlines for a mistake that was made on national television. Her inability to come up with an acceptable response in a timely manner ruined all of her chances and made her the butt of many jokes.

Every single woman in these competitions are gorgeous, and if that was all it took, then every single one would win. Each and every one is taught to focus on their strengths and best qualities in order to get ahead. Every woman is taught the skill sets needed to make them stand out.

The experience teaches them how to navigate competition as well as handling a female dominated environment and how to network from that. In summary, beauty pageant contestants are often the "whole package". They are beauty and brains, and contrary to what is being spread around recently, a quality man desires that!

Notice how I didn't even focus much on what we can learn from them appearance wise because any woman can exercise and learn beauty skills and throw on a sparkly dress. That is not what makes these women stand out, and they know this. They are conducted on this! They know that they need more to offer than their face if they not only want to win the competition, but if they also want to prosper in life.