The 6 unbelievable requirements to participate in Miss Universe

Every year, millions worldwide gather to watch one of the most anticipated contests: Miss Universe. Being considered the most beautiful woman on the planet is undoubtedly the dream of many. But let's not kid ourselves, none of us could use winning several hundred thousand dollars and a luxurious apartment in New York.

Well, if she's stood the test of age, that's great, but remember to make it seem like you're available. A Miss Universe candidate must be single, not have children, not be married, divorced, or have had a separation on record.

Why this strange requirement? The Miss Universe Committee knows that the background of this contest is to make viewers dream, to sell them an image of what a "perfect woman" is. You may be surprised to know that a good number of the fans of this contest are men. Introducing a married woman would automatically make her less desirable to the male audience because she "is no longer available." Likewise, a woman who is divorced or known to have lived with her partner "is no longer pure" or "has a record."

Who said that loving is impure? Women can fall in love and be with someone they want without being judged. A beautiful woman is not an invitation for any man to come over to flirt. Don't you think?

Any potential Miss must prove that her past is impeccable. No type of event could affect her public image. This includes not having participated in sexy or pornographic content nor having posed nude. In 2004, Jennifer Hawkins nearly lost her crown after nude photos of her were leaked.

This requirement clearly shows the double standard to which we are subject women. On the one hand, they want to see us parade in bikinis, always smiling, pleasant, and willing to be approached by any man (as if we needed their approval to live), while a male star will have a better reputation the more women they have. Think, for example, of James Bond, who, in each of his films, sleeps with at least one different girl. On the other hand, it is unfortunate that in the middle of the 21st century, they want to decide on our body, how much, and to whom we show it. Playing the "hot girl" card only prolongs the fantasies of an abusive culture that denies us the freedom to exercise our sexuality.

On the other hand, our problems or "scandals" of the past can be a source of learning and inspiration for others. Being open with your experiences and showing how you have overcome difficulties is much more inspiring than seeing a perfect girl walking around in a bikini, or what do you think?

One of the first requirements to be able to compete in this famous beauty pageant is age. Applicants must be between 18 and 28. But, of course, that's in theory because most winners haven't passed 24...

This criterion tells us that beauty has an expiration date ... isn't that ridiculous? Women can work on their beauty throughout their lives. It's never too late to become the person you want to be! It doesn't matter if you had acne as a teenager or were the victim of your insecurities; you have a lifetime to learn to love yourself a little more each time, play with your look, and not let yourself be pigeonholed by anyone. Beauty doesn't end at 20!

Well, you're young, you don't have a boyfriend, but you have a son. Contestants cannot be mothers or be pregnant. This reminds us a lot of the situation in Hollywood in the 20s when the most famous actresses in the studio were prohibited from committing and had to request authorization to marry or have children.

Although some may argue that after motherhood, the body changes, we have thousands of examples of actresses and top models who have children and keep their figures. If a young mother has the dedication to take care of her, feeding and exercising her, what's wrong with her? Another argument could be that they must travel around the world representing different causes during her reign, but the idea is weak once again. Many successful women around the world have been able to combine motherhood with work. Or are they telling us that when a woman becomes a mother, she is no longer desirable? That she falls into another "harassment-free" category.

The first qualifying stages of Miss Universe take place behind the scenes. Of course, it's much more glamorous to see girls in ball gowns than to see them measure every part of their bodies like racehorses. In case you didn't know, to be able to compete is not enough. What counts is measuring precisely what the Committee asks of you. And to achieve this, many girls resort to painful measures such as plastic surgery, inhumane diets, bulimia, etc. This requirement causes many girls to stress and even do damage to their bodies to be accepted by the judges. Do you realize this madness?

Instead of valuing the individual beauty of each woman, these types of pageants only prolong the stereotypes: a smiling, submissive but naughty girl, available for courtship, who meets the beauty standards imposed on her, and also enjoys being observed and judged by others. The contestants, in turn, inspire adolescents and girls, who begin to worry about their weight, figure, appearance, and what others think of them. In these contests, it seems their studies or profession are just the icings on the cake since their physique matters most, and then we'll see.

The contest winner agrees to maintain the exact measurements during her reign at the risk of having her crown removed. So, yes, they take her height from her to gain a few kilos. That was the case of Alicia Machado, who was repeatedly publicly humiliated for having gained weight. Is that what we want them to do with us?

Haven't you noticed that most of the time, the girls look alike? In the case of many of them coming from the same country, they practically look like sisters! This happens because the judges of this famous contest have a specific idea of what beauty is, and although they sell the image of diversity, the truth is that all these girls have many features in common. Many even undergo surgery to "improve themselves" and adapt more to what is expected of them. So it's not surprising that many girls have silicone implants, nose jobs, grafts, and even surgery on their eyelids to make them look bigger.

The message is unmistakable: there is only one type of beauty, and it is closer to Caucasian than anything else. For the women who follow this contest, looking in the mirror and comparing themselves with those "successful" women can be demotivating. That is when we are taught to hate our own body, to tell ourselves, "my nose is vast," "my eyebrows are skinny," "I have a belly," and a long etcetera. Judging and comparing ourselves takes away our security and, above all, power. These pageants make us feel like we don't deserve more because it's all about beauty... and we were born with the wrong face or body.

A genuinely empowering message for women would be to showcase the beauty in all its varieties, with strong, intelligent, and inspiring women sharing their most seductive smiles and their dreams, goals, and experiences.

After all this, you might wonder if this contest is as harmless as it's made out to be. More than anything because it repeats stereotypes of what a woman should be, how she should behave, and above all, how she should bet solely on her image to succeed in life. A real woman fights every day to be better, to develop in all the roles of her life, be it as a student, mother, or professional, and her actual value is not in the size of her waist but in the size of her dreams. Every woman is beautiful in her way, with a mind full of ideas and projects, a big and generous heart, and a body that helps us daily to move, work, breathe, and enjoy the pleasures of life.

Before we celebrate "Misses" culture, let's take a moment to think about what it truly means to be a woman and celebrate the women of all sizes and ages who inspire us every day with their actions! WE LOVE YOU!