quote:“Ever whistled at a woman in a wheelchair? Checked out the boobs of a blind babe? If the answer’s ‘no’, this barrier-breaking show will put an end to that.”
I don't know. If beauty pageants are Ok, than why not one for disabled women? OTOH, is making someone into a sex object the right way to help them be more accepted in society?
-------------------- The technical term is narcissism. You can't believe everything is your fault unless you also believe you're all powerful.--House Posts: 2684 | From: Budapest | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
This issue was very delicately handled in a film that dad and I appeared in. A formerly able-bodied young lady and beauty queen discovers that despite her looks and talent she is overlooked in beauty pageants now that she is confined to a wheelchair. That moving film was, of course, entitled "Blood Salvage."
Mack da "ok, so the rest of the movie went in a different direction. . . " Knife
posted
As long as it doesn't become a "let's all laugh at the cripples" type of show, then it's a great idea and will probably go a long way toward making some disabled women feel better about themselves.
Posts: 835 | From: Massachusetts | Registered: Feb 2004
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It's a delicate line, however, I think that many disabled people would take any sort of recognition as a meaningful human being, rather than the state of inconsequence that is so often relegated to them, even if that recognition is based on something so limiting and empty as appearence.
Challenging? Yes. Progressive? Nope.
-------------------- So many spankings! It feels so good! But at the same time, I don't care about meeting your family! - I'mNotDedalus: Posts: 3216 | From: Denver, CO | Registered: Dec 2005
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I feel like it's a little sad that we need a separate ceremony for disabled people. I mean, I know why...I know that people are weirded out. But I feel like ultimately, it would be better if disabled people could participate alongside their nondisabled counterparts.
I also feel like disabled women should be able to base their self-esteem on more than looking good. But then again, as Nicki points out, that can be said about any woman. And I suppose that's a whole other can of worms.
-------------------- "You can't play Electro-magnetic Golf according to the rules of Centrifugal Bumble Puppy." -Mustapha Mond, "Brave New World" Posts: 679 | From: New York | Registered: Oct 2001
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While I would not like to tell other people how to make themselves feel better, to me competing with other women in terms of physical beauty has never lead to improved self-esteem.
-------------------- Officially Heartless Posts: 3065 | From: The Montgomery County of the West Coast- Berkeley, CA | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Hubert Cumberdale: As long as it doesn't become a "let's all laugh at the cripples" type of show, then it's a great idea and will probably go a long way toward making some disabled women feel better about themselves.
Do people have to laugh for it to be demeaning, though?
A couple things bother me. Like Artemis said, it's sad that it has to be a separate ceremony. In addition, it's a reality TV series, not a legit contest, and they insist that the disability has to be visible. I have this vague uncomfortable feeling that this is something like a modern day side show. "Look! She's crippled, but she looks hot in a bikini! And she talks, too! Amazing!"
-------------------- The technical term is narcissism. You can't believe everything is your fault unless you also believe you're all powerful.--House Posts: 2684 | From: Budapest | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
While I can understand and agree with many of the concerns presented here, I do think this is a small step in the right direction. Too often, even in modern times, disabilities of any kind lead to ostracism and being outcast, whether from prejudice or people just "feeling weird". It's good that the media is finally acknowledging that the disabled can be attractive as well. I have been attracted to disabled women before.
Posts: 213 | From: Point of Rocks, MD | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
I just remembered something. Wasn't there a deaf Miss America recently? And what would happen if a woman in a wheelchair or an amputee tried to enter the Miss America paegant?
Posts: 835 | From: Massachusetts | Registered: Feb 2004
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I think the wrongness of beauty pageants trumps the progressiveness of helping disabled people do something they couldn't do before. I have two daughters and I would not like them to see any beauty pageant or to think that it's okay to judge women (disabled or not) solely on their looks.
One of my daughters is autistic and I am all for programs that help her do "normal" things she might not otherwise be able to do. But I would be equally against her appearing in a pageant for autistic kids as I would be against my other daughter appearing in a normal beauty pageant.
posted
Hubert is right; a Deaf woman won Miss America a few years back. That seems like it should render this contest unnecessary, unless they want to define disability more narrowly. (Then again, the Deaf community is far from unanimous on the question of whether they're disabled.)
-------------------- "Well, it looks we're on our own ... again."--Rev. Lovejoy Posts: 3572 | From: St. Louis, MO | Registered: Sep 2003
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Since we already have a pagent that objectifies women, why make it slightly more creepy and demeaning by having the same thing for disabled people? Drop the idea and stick with the traditional Mrs. America pagent
-------------------- "High-Five!" - Borat Posts: 1056 | From: Racine, WI | Registered: Jun 2006
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Jay Temple--the article says they have to be visible disabilities. So I guess a deaf contestant is out.
I guess since it's a reality TV show about a pageant, it's already demeaning. A show like Survivor or Fear Factor is demeaning, whether it's for nondisabled or for disabled people. I don't really think beauty shows in general make women feel good about themselves. But the fact that there has to be a separate one for disabled women just feels odd.
-------------------- "You can't play Electro-magnetic Golf according to the rules of Centrifugal Bumble Puppy." -Mustapha Mond, "Brave New World" Posts: 679 | From: New York | Registered: Oct 2001
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well... as it is...there is already a Miss Deaf USA (or America) as far as I know. I know that quite a few deaf groups from various states run their own State Deaf pageants for the women... so the idea isn't really a new one.
Yes Heather Whitestone won the Miss America pageant back in errm.. 1996? ah 1995. She did not participate in the Deaf USA pageants though.
posted
I believe (perhaps incorrectly) that the original Dutch program was where the quote in the OP came from... I gather it was very much a "Hey, check it out... disabled women also have tits and a vagina!" type of show.
The BBC version will supposedly be a little more tasteful. Which, as best as I can tell, means they'll simply be objectifying the contestants rather than sexually objectifying them. Small comfort really.
-------------------- "victory thru self-deception" Posts: 2211 | From: Western Australia | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Freshman: what's the difference between sexually objectifying people and just objectifying them?
Probably a matter of personal definitions vs dictionary definitions.
I think it is entirely possible to treat another person as an object without having any sexual overtones involved. Hence I see a difference between treating people as objects and treating people as sexual objects.
My delineation is probably not common so I accept that what I said is likely to only make sense to me.
-------------------- "victory thru self-deception" Posts: 2211 | From: Western Australia | Registered: Jun 2005
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It makes sense to me in general, Sal, but I'm not sure the delineation is as obvious in a beauty contest where all the girls are young and scantily clad and all the judges are, to quote Rosie Odonnell, "old white men."
-------------------- The technical term is narcissism. You can't believe everything is your fault unless you also believe you're all powerful.--House Posts: 2684 | From: Budapest | Registered: Sep 2005
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