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We're proud to be on parade, say university finalists
Benedict Moore-Bridger05.03.09
Finalists in the Miss University London beauty pageant today insisted the competition was not degrading to women.
The students, pictured here for the first time, were speaking before the grand final, which takes place at Crystal nightclub in Marylebone in two weeks. The organiser, 121 Entertainment, and participants have faced fierce criticism over the event which campaigners have called "misogynistic".
But the finalists, who are drawn mainly from the University of London's colleges, said there was nothing wrong with taking part.
Lillian He, 18, a first-year politics and economics student at the School of Oriental and African Studies, whose family moved from America to Kuwait, said: "[Protesters] make it seem like we don't care about getting our degrees but that is wrong. I have lived in countries where you are discriminated against as a woman. This competition is positive, fun, and you get to make some really good friends."
Last year's winner, King's College, London medical student Shiva Jasseb, 26, said: "It is about personalities - whether they are interesting people."
But demonstrator Eleanor James, 23, of campaign group Miss-Ogynist University of London said: "It is not about the freedom of the individuals taking part but the way it impacts on every woman. We object to the notion of contests purely on appearance."
However, Christian Emile of 121 Entertainment, said: "We plan to take this across Britain from September. We are not going to allow a minority to bring us down."
Reader views (13)
You must be joking!! Leave these girls alone, they are making us proud!!! Good luck to you all
- Maria Jenson, London
"We object to the notion of contests purely on appearance." Surely, the facts that all of these girls are at University suggests they are not just pretty faces?
- Paul, London
Some people just cannot accept that there is a section of society which is young, pretty, slim AND intelligent. It's classic modern Britain, where you're not allowed to be better than the majority and if you are, you must be brought down a peg or two! The UK is possibly the most image-obsessed country on the planet, so this seems a strange place to start railing against it: at least this contest throws 'brains' into the equation as well. If you go the National Portrait Gallery, all the women who were famed beauties of their day were witty and smart too . . . perhaps the Humourless Hairy Armpit Brigade hasn't spotted the connection?
- Roz, Chamonix, France
"Eleanor James, 23" - Is that stones?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Ever noticed how the women who are against beauty pagents are nearly all ugly? Jealousy me thinks as Darwin was right.
- Tom, Watford (UK)
LJ, What exactly is a 'plain' girl? You too seem to be describing (in pejorative terms) women based upon their looks.
- Bc, London
No Mike Ashworth. Feminists just don't want women to buy into the male idea that they are objects rather than people. What this ridiculous pageant reveals is how many young girls - even the supposedly intelligent ones - are still prepared to dumb down to get acceptance from men, and from other women too. Look at all the stick Gail Trimble got for not wanting to dye her hair blonde and dress provocatively - she wasn't allowed a 'choice', was she? No-one seemed to understand that she really did want to be judged on her ability, and nothing else.
- Lj, london
The issue with the feminists is that they want women to have all the choices in the world. But only as long as they make the 'right' choice. Have a career or be a stay at home mum? Be in a beauty pageant or decry the paternalisitc society? Feminists claim they want all women to have the choice, but in exercising that choice the girls here have invoked the ire of feminism.
- Mike Ashworth, London, England
If it's about 'personalitise - whether they are interesting people' then where are all the plain girls? Keep deluding yourself, Shiva.
- Lj, London
Brains and beauty. Wow!
- Stephen, London
There are some right crackers in that line-up. Shame on those hairy-legged spoilsports in the campaign group for trying to stop the show.
- Keith, Kings Cross, London, UK
That will boost student recruitment anyhow
- Concerned, Caerleon, South Wales
Genuine personality has become an increasingly scarce commodity in the world.
- Bloke, London
