Beauty pageant contestants gave out feminist facts instead of their measurements

Contestants at a beauty pageant in Peru have shared shocking gender violence facts for a bold and important reason.

If you've ever seen a beauty pageant; proceedings usually involve women walking to the front of the stage at some point to address the audience.

While looking stunning in the glamorous dresses, perfect hair and make-up, contestants are asked to announce their measurements to the crowd.

Which is ridiculous.

Fortunately, this competition was slightly different.

Rather than announce their height, waist or breast size, contestants listed the many crimes, cases of abuse and violence that women are subjected to in the South American country.

One by one, women came to the front of the stage to state harrowing facts. For instance, these were the 'measurements' that Luciana Fernandez's gave:

My name is Luciana Fernández and I represent the city of Huánuco, and my measurements are, 13,000 girls suffer sexual abuse in our country.

These were the measurements of Camila Canicoba:

My name is Camila Canicoba and I represent the department of Lima.

My measurements are 2,202 cases of femicide [women murdered because of their gender] reported in the last nine years in my country.

This wasn't exclusive to just one segment, the entire theme of Miss Peru 2018 was to highlight the extent of violence against women in the country.

Newspaper clippings of victims of violence were displayed on the big screen, creating a jarring juxtaposition to the contestants who were in their bathing suits at the same time.

The final segment saw the women declare what laws they would introduce to combat these crimes.

The pageant was organized by former beauty queen Jessica Newton, who took the decision to select the theme in order to empower women and also dedicate the show to victims.

When speaking to BuzzFeed, Newton said that the bathing suit segment, which could have been interpreted as objectifying, was included to show that women should be treated respectfully regardless of what they wear.

She said:

Everyone who does not denounce and everyone who does not do something to stop this is an accomplice.

Women can walk out naked if they want to. Naked. It’s a personal decision. 

If I walk out in a bathing suit I am just as decent as a woman who walks out in an evening dress.

You can watch the full event in the YouTube video below:

HT Buzzfeed

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