Presenter: Cholena Wright
Faculty Mentor: Stephanie Teves
Presentation Type: Oral
Primary Research Area: Humanities
Major: Political Science
Beauty pageants get a bad rap. Since their inception they have had a precarious and convoluted relationship with feminism. Beauty pageants have been targeted for criticism and protest by feminists who claim they perpetuate the objectification and sexualization of women, present unrealistic models of femininity, and perpetuate harmful images of white/middle-class beauty standards. But what about Indian beauty pageants? Does this harmful culture cross- over into the indigenous model of beauty pageantry? Much like the conversation surrounding mainstream beauty pageants, the answer is complicated and nuanced. Indian beauty pageants were originally instituted as a colonizing mechanism, but over time they have evolved into cultural celebrations of indigenous traditions and beauty. Indian beauty pageants today are merely a shadow of their white supremacist history. Tracing the history through personal accounts of these pageants showcases the persistence and continued resistance of indigenous culture. Beauty pageants can be mechanisms for empowerment and an acknowledgement of female achievement, leadership, and talent. This is also true for Indigenous pageants. Throughout the Americas and the Pacific, these beauty pageants celebrate indigeneity and provide a space for indigenous queer locality. In spite of its flawed history, indigenous pageants are an indigenous feminist act that should not be underestimated as a tool for resistance and cultural revitalization.