Beauty and the Bikini: Embodied Respectability in Nigerian Beauty Pageants

Abstract

Abstract:In the world of Nigerian beauty pageants, the bikini remains a fraught embodied symbol and aesthetic practice. Pageant affiliates, critics, and fans alike strongly debate the question of whether to include bikinis in these events. This article draws primarily from nearly a year of ethnographic observations of two Nigerian national beauty contests in 2009-2010 to show how various stakeholders used personal, domestic, and international frames about women’s bodies, and the bikini in particular, to bolster respectability. Through embodied respectability, women’s figurative and literal bodies were used to strategically situate propriety, social acceptance, and reputability for the self and the nation.

The dark side of occupation within the context of modern-day beauty pageants

“…The capitalist perspective of modern-day beauty pageants intersect with the post-feminist standpoint where women are seen as powerful citizens and consumers who have control over their physical body through materialistic consumption and cosmetic surgeries [9]. This intersection is called 'consumptive femininity' in which products such as beauty products, apparels, and clothing mark idealized gendered norms that are classbound through purchasing power [4].…”

“…Ironically, being a beauty queen does not entail political power, but rather acquires a symbolic capital. [4,6]. The process of upward mobility, however, can necessitate doings that may seem risky, illicit, or even immoral from the eyes of society, but may be considerably meaningful to the aspiring beauty queen.…”

“…A modern-day beauty pageant replicates a ritual form that introduces young women to their community, state, or nation transforming them into a special class through the principle of competition [3]. At present, beauty pageants have gone beyond judging the physical attractiveness of a woman as they have started selecting winners who have affective qualities such as confidence, intellect, and communication skills [4] in order to represent a brand, an organisation, or a nation.…”

“…Given these of purposes and functions, beauty pageantry is under the category of occupation referred as "work" which is defined in occupational therapy as "labor or exertion related to the development, production, delivery, or management of objects or services" resulting in financial or nonfinancial benefits including social connectedness, contributions to society, structure and routine to daily life [8 p33]. Beauty pageantry is considered a form of work because it facilitates economic mobility [4] and ensures effective career progression [9] for those who engage in the competitions. Catriona Gray, Miss Universe 2018 winner, was criticised by fans about her body while preparing for the Miss Universe 2018 pageant.…”

Political Economy of Embodiment: Capitalizing on Globally Staged Bodies in Nigerian Beauty Pageants and Vietnamese Sex Work

“…Beauty pageants in Nigeria take place on highly public national and global stages, as contestants compete in top pageants around the world. Contestants’ bodies signal complex shifting aesthetics that position African beauty as fashion-forward to promote a global-African ideal, which propels and integrates Nigeria into international arenas of diplomacy and trade (Balogun, forthcoming). High-end sex workers in Vietnam, in contrast, work on a stage that is hidden from the general public, yet open for a select group of Vietnam’s political and economic elites.…”