For a decade, the country was considered a powerhouse for beauty queens, most of them recognized for their sharp wits, and eye-catching looks. After all, pageantry in the Philippines is a household topic of interest during its peak seasons. With the recently concluded Miss Universe beauty pageant held on January 15, 2023, one can say that the pageants' focus from promoting self-confidence to the public has shifted to amplifying the calls of marginalized groups—a shift that will continue to influence succeeding pageants both in the local and international scale.
It is without a doubt that recent years have prompted contestants to use their platforms to be heard. Throughout periods of unrest and conflict, these events have become a way for them to connect with people, hoping to bring about change. Viewing this through a sociological perspective, specifically through symbolic interactionism, as these queens actively participate in these pageants, they contribute to shaping society and play a part as they utilize the tools at their disposal.
We perceive them as influential people. The symbols we have created over time have manifested in the public, putting beauty queens' opinions inigh regard. After all, these women have not only revamped the perception of pageantry in modern times but have also found a way for these avenues to grow beyond their sexist and patriarchal origins. In the words of Miss Universe's new owner, trans activist Jakkaphong Anne Jakrajutatip, "it has been 70 years that men have run the Miss Universe organization. But now, time is up... it is the moment for women to take the lead.”
The constant reinvention of how they define themselves leads to them solidifying their—and by extension, women's—place in society as people who should not be underestimated. Amidst ever-changing times, beauty pageants are a sole affirmation that beauty queens and women are equally as competent, powerful, and reliable as everyone else. With this that all spaces, even stages repurposed to showcase fashionable looks, can be transformed into places that advocate for collective action and inclusivity within our communities.
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