30/08/2024
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ (๐๐จ)๐ฆ๐๐ง
On your socials, you might have encountered the story about how Miss Universe Singapore, like many other beauty pageants, is "embracing diversity" by allowing a biological male (legally female) to compete in a contest traditionally reserved for women โ which up to two seconds ago meant 'adult human females'.
Side note: The irony of celebrating this as a win of โdiversity,โ is that "diversity" implies there is something fundamentally different between a "transwoman" and a woman.
This development shouldnโt surprise anyone, given Singaporeโs deep connection to Western trends, where gender ideology is increasingly prevalent.
In case you didn't know, this has been happening a lot internationally. See pics.
In June 2024, Bailey Anne Kennedy became the first transgender woman to win Miss Maryland USA. In August 2023, Rikkie Valerie Kollรฉ made history by becoming the first transgender woman to win Miss Netherlands, earning a spot in the Miss Universe 2023 competitionโ. In November 2022, Brรญan Nguyen became the first transgender contestant to win a local Miss America Organization beauty pageant in New Hampshire. In June 2021, Kataluna Enriquez was crowned Miss Nevada USA.
In each case, the boys were beating the girls at their own game. Some would argue that more disappointingly, they were depriving women of what should have rightfully been theirs.
One might empathise with this argument, but here's another perspective.
๐ "๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง" ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ - ๐๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ?
If someone were to be upset about this as many understandably are, Iโd suggest that their concern should mainly be with the message it sends: That peak womanhood is merely skin deep. That a male, with the right makeup, a dress, a b**b job, or a legal change to โFโ on their IC, can sufficiently become a woman.
But beyond physiology, what about a womanโs unique psychology? What about her perspectives (Manhunt contestants arenโt known for prioritising โworld peace,โ are they?), her experiences with reproduction, family, and children, or the myriad other qualities that make women unique?
Those who push gender ideology, and declare that men can become women run roughshod over these precious differences.
When we start treating "transpeople" as if they are the opposite s*x, we reduce all of humanityโnot just femininityโto mere physical appearances. This reinforces the very stereotypes that third-wave feminism worked so hard to dismantle: that to qualify as a woman, one must look a certain way.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ
But thereโs no point in getting shocked or offended by this. Because. Miss Universe contests arenโt really about celebrating womanhood at all. That is not their ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐.
If Miss Universe Singapore had a stated mission to platform and give visibility to women, or if it promised that the winner would be an ambassador for womenโs empowerment and issues, then by all means, hold the organisers accountable for their hypocrisy!
It would be a travesty to deprive an actual woman of her rightful place in favour of nonsensical DEI virtue signalling. Having a "transwoman" represent the voice of women would be a mockery of what it means to be a woman.
But letโs be real. Beauty contests arenโt about celebrating womanhood. Theyโre about high cheekbones and sultry silhouettes.
Disagree? Think about the ordinary girl next doorโdoes she ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ stand a chance at winning? Consider the event's sponsorsโ do any of them go beyond hair, makeup, apparel, and slimming contributions? Do any polish the deeper realms of the mind or conscience on social issues?
Despite their overtures, beauty contests are just thatโcontests of beauty, celebrating the most temporary and superficial aspects of femininity and womanhood.
So, if the ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐ of the competition is to celebrate the longest legs, the best skin, and the most therapeutic answers, then let the transwoman compete. If he excels by objective measures of centimetres, luminosity, and feel-good vibes, then he deserves the win. Meritocracy, baby.
We shouldnโt get our knickers in a twist over a trivial beauty contest that, despite its claims of womenโs empowerment, does little for the cause, and instead just sends the counterproductive message that celebration-worthy womanhood must ๐๐๐๐ a certain way.
๐๐ข๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ
This doesn't mean we should give up the fight against gender ideology. We must simply pick our battles and invest our efforts where they actually count.
The purpose of single-s*x schools, bathrooms, womenโs gyms, and prisons is fundamentally different from that of beauty contests. These spaces prioritise women's interests in safety, privacy, and relational development, fostering environments where meaningful growth and personal development occur. These are the areas that people of common sense should actively defend, as they serve women's holistic interests.
Beauty pageants, on the other hand, primarily emphasise superficial qualities, which undermine these broader interests by reducing women to mere physical appearances.
๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฒ
If you want to honour women for their beauty, I suggest turning to an ancient Hebrew text that speaks about womanhood in a far more holistic manner. This is the 31st chapter of the Book of Proverbs written by an ancient Israelite King named Solomon. Muslims today know him as Sulaimฤn ibn Dฤwลซd.
His text describes women as praiseworthy for their virtue and noble character, trustworthiness, diligence and industry, wisdom and financial savvy, compassion and generosity, strength and dignity, kindness in speech, and provision and management of household affairs.
It celebrates women who respect God and who earn the respect and honour of their family and community for embodying these virtues.
These are the true, lasting, and holistic measures of a woman that go well beyond the depth of cosmetics and even skin.
