And again women from all over the world present themselves in bikini on a stage to be judged by a jury about their bodies, but supposedly also about their so-called grace, their performative and rhetorical qualities. How up-to-date this is, one might ask: In order to qualify for participation, women must not be married or divorced, and they must not have exceeded a certain age. The Israeli organizers said they had at least tried to abolish the bikini competition - but that failed because of the US parent organization.
Netta Barzilai, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Israel in 2018, was to be the main act at the event.
She turned it down because of the antiquated, misogynous rules: "I don't see myself on a stage where women are judged on their appearance, body measurements, height and weight," she told the Israeli broadcaster Channel 13. She criticized beauty pageants as being brutal idea that has fallen out of time and has no future.
A beauty contest as a message of peace?
Nevertheless, according to the organizers, Miss Universe is one of the highest-rated events in the world with several million viewers. As an old lady in the beauty industry, she is celebrating her 70th anniversary. But not without controversy: The staging of the competition caused a sensation in view of the pandemic and the potential danger of the new Omikron mutant. The venue, however, attracted unexpected attention: Eilat in Israel.
The national press described the event as a “Model United Nation” and “Message of Peace”, as candidates from Bahrain and Morocco also took part in the interests of diplomatic relations (something that would have been difficult to imagine before the Abraham Accords Declaration on diplomatic rapprochement). Nevertheless, there was mainly criticism: The Greek beauty queen Rafaela Plastira announced that she wanted to boycott Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians - although she is competing in the Miss World competition, which will take place in Puerto Rico next Friday, and not in Israel.
However, Miss South Africa caused more sensation. She was asked by her government to stay away from the competition: As the South African Ministry of Sports, Art and Culture and high-ranking politicians, who compared Israeli practices with the apartheid regime that once ruled South Africa, announced that "the atrocities against Palestinians are well documented" . The South African beauty queen Lalela Mswane held against it and appeared in the costume contest as the white dove of peace. The South African non-governmental organization Citizens for Integrity wanted to bring their government to court for the withdrawal of support for Miss South Africa, so far unsuccessfully.
Malaysia and Indonesia, which have always competed, canceled their participation this year due to the pandemic.
The fact that both countries do not recognize Israel was not mentioned.
Publicity as propaganda?
Palestinian organizations such as Eye of Palestine, which otherwise document violence against Palestinians, denounced the tour of the beauty queens as propaganda because, among other things, they visited the old city of Jerusalem and prepared Arabic specialties and wore dresses with the Kufiya pattern, which are considered the Palestinian national symbol - sponsored by the Israel Ministry of Tourism with no mention of Palestinian culture.
This kind of publicity has become too much for the organizers.
The incumbent Miss Universe, the Mexican Andrea Meza, told AP in advance that the competition should not be politicized.
Israel was chosen as a tourist destination because of its rich history, beautiful landscapes and four-fold cultures and charm, even if there is currently an entry ban for foreigners.
On Sunday at midnight, the new Miss World will be chosen from 80 candidates.
How strongly the final will be politicized, what qualities a beauty queen must have in 2021, and whether the old lady of the beauty pageants will still be viable in the future remains to be seen.