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Inclusivity used to be a very sensitive word, and maybe in some parts of the world, it still is, but definitely not as much as before when racial discrimination was rampant, especially if it came to one’s skin color.
In joining beauty pageants, politics are very evident. Rumors about the winners being handpicked and sabotaging incidents backstage and among the ladies were very evident, and it has been said that one should prepare herself for such things before even putting on a pair of high heels and practicing her winning strut.
One would think beauty pageants are controversial enough, but the issue regarding Miss Haiti white, evident in commentaries like The iPINIONS Journal, was set ablaze when she was crowned the winner.
What Is Miss Haiti White About?
When a beauty pageant contestant is selected to represent a country in an international pageant, expectations are set high. There are several criteria to consider; however, the most important of all is the overall representation of the winner and being able to embody the country to the world.
In Haiti, where the majority of inhabitants are blessed with luscious, dark skin, it seemed like a no-brainer for a winner to be a clear representation of the people.
However, when Miss Haiti Universe was crowned way back in 2010, someone with a significantly lighter skin tone won the pageant- Sarodj Bertin.
Why Is Miss Haiti White Controversial?
The announcement of the winner of the local Miss Haiti pageant came after the devastating Haiti earthquake, which took the lives of over 300,000 people. In a way, the pageant should have become a platform to boost the country’s morale after the upsetting disaster, and many had hoped that they could be represented well in the international pageant.
Sarodj Bertin had, without a doubt, the smart to back up the visuals so no one can really contest as to why she won. But this doesn’t escape the eyes of critics, especially from a commentary blog like The iPINIONS Journal, that a boost of morale was very much needed during those times.
Dubbed Miss Haiti White, Bertin represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant later that year, stating that the reason why she desired to represent Haiti in the pageant is to give its people the voice they needed to be heard.
Final Thoughts
It’s a sad reality, but even up to this date, the desire for many of our dark-skinned neighbors to modify how they look in the form of hazardous treatments like skin bleaching remains. The beauty standards they still look up to consist of having fair skin in order to not be discriminated against and be seen for who they are and not what they look like.
This is especially true because how international pageants like Miss Universe are infamous for handpicking winners to favor the pageant’s PR.
And although the world and its people are more accepting now of everyone’s racial differences, one must never deny the privilege that fair-skinned pageant contestants get against other countries’ representatives with darker skin.
