Does the Miss France society impose discriminatory clauses on young women who would like to apply for the beauty contest?
Justice will rule on January 6 on this question, raised again this Friday before the industrial tribunal of Bobigny by a feminist association.
The activists of "Dare feminism" began legal proceedings in October 2021, from the perspective of labor law, against the election of Miss France, which they consider sexist.
After a first hearing in June, which did not lead to any decision because the industrial tribunal advisers could not agree, the arguments of the two parties were again presented on Friday during a "deciding hearing ".
The model contract
"Osez le féminisme" maintains that the criteria for participation in this show - broadcast this year on December 17 on TF1 - are discriminatory with regard to labor law, because they require candidates to be at least 1.70 m tall and to be “representatives of beauty”.
The association also disputes the nature of the legal relationship between the organizers and the candidates: since last year, they have signed an employment contract with the production of the show, as "models".
The activists believe that this contract should begin not three days before the election, but from the regional selections.
Single and without children
Before the judges, the president of the Miss France Society, Alexia Laroche-Joubert, argued that this question did not fall within her competence because she was only responsible for the national election.
She also justified the size criterion imposed on candidates by the fact that they must wear “designer dresses” not designed for small sizes.
After the hearing, Ms. Laroche-Joubert refuted in front of the journalists that the election of Miss France could be described as “sexist”.
It is thus no longer required of candidates that they be single and without children, because “it is their personal life”, she underlined.
“Censorship” and “unrealistic injunctions”
Those who criticize the competition "want to be talked about", she castigated.
“They don't have to govern morality.
When you think you can decide for women, I find it unacceptable, I call it censorship, ”she added.
For Fabienne El Khoury, one of the spokespersons for "Dare feminism", on the contrary, it is necessary to "open a debate" on the election of Miss France.
“In 2022, can we still put women in competition on sexist criteria, on unrealistic diktats and injunctions?
Society doesn't want that anymore, it's getting cheesy,” she said.
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Television
Dare feminism
Miss France 2022
Sexism
Justice