The Miss
Universe pageant showed off how political it can be this weekend when several
contestants included powerful political messages in their national costume
outfits.
The “national
costume” portion of the pageant is a chance for the women to share a part of
their culture and home country, and for contestants from Singapore, Myanmar, and Uruguay, it was also a way to bring
attention to political issues affecting their communities.
Miss Singapore,
Bernadette Belle Ong, made a stunning statement in a red sequined bodysuit with
knee-high red boots. Her outfit also included red and white puffy sleeves and
when she turned on the runway, she revealed that her long, flowing cape read
“Stop Asian Hate” in giant letters. The costume was designed by Arwin Meriales
and hand painted by Paulo Espinosa.
“What is this
platform for if I can’t use it to send a strong message of resistance against
prejudice and violence,” Ong posted on her Instagram. “This costume is inspired
by the Singapore National Flag. The red represents equality for all. White
symbolizes everlasting virtue. Singapore is a place for all races and they are
very proud to be Asian. It sure would be great to #StopAsianHate.”
The United
States, and the world, has seen a sharp rise in anti-Asian violence recently,
including a mass shooting in March when a man killed six Asian women and two
others at Atlanta-area spas. Influential figures in the Asian and
Asian-American communities are speaking out about the issue.
Miss Uruguay
appeared on the stage in a black bodysuit and knee-high boots with a wide skirt
that when she held it open, showed a rainbow with the words “No More: Hate,
Violence, Rejection, Discrimination.” She has regularly posted her support for
LGBTQ+ rights on her Instagram. She was also a judge at the Miss Trans Star
Uruguay beauty pageant.
Thuzar Lwin,
walking as Miss Myanmar, also revealed a message while on the stage, unveiling
a scroll that said “Pray for Myanmar” on it. She went on to win the award for
the National Costume category.
Myanmar
underwent a military junta in February, and since then violence has erupted
throughout the country. Over 700 protestors have been killed and thousands more
have been arrested.
The winner of
this year’s pageant was Miss Mexico, Andrea Meza.
SOURCE: ADVOCATE
That's SO awesome! 👏🏻
ReplyDeleteGo, girls! 😉
Oh, that is marvelous. Never heard a word about it. How great is that? Good for them. We ARE evolving as a planet. But will it be in time?
ReplyDelete