After you detain and disarm a rebel figher in Iraq, what can you possibly do next to top that??
Drop the swimsuit portion of a beauty pageant. Duh.
Lance Cpl. Katrina Hodge
British army woman, Lance Cpl. Katrina Hodge, has convinced the organizers of the Miss England pageant to drop the popular pageant segment, stating that posing in swimsuits isn't fair, nor is it necessary since beauty queens rarely wear simsuits at public events.
"I think it's nerve-racking enough to girls to get up on a stage and speak, let alone in a swimsuit," said the former beauty queen.
Given the nickname "Combat Barbie" by her army colleagues, Hodge is represened England in the Miss World pageant in 2009 and is also a lingerie model for La Senza.
So what will England do now? According to Miss England national organiser, Angie Beasley, the girls will be doing a sports round showcasing their sports skills.
As someone who once participated in beauty pageants and watches them religiously, I don't know what to think of this. I love the swimsuit segment but it honesly serves no purpose. Each girl totters on stage in the same bikini by the same company (normally a sponsor of the event) and we at home judge and poke (
Her boobs are fake, Is that cellulite?) while judges literally give them a number and tell them they're perfect.
I'm more of an evening gown kinda gal :)
Perhaps more countries will follow suit seeing as this will alleviate some pressure off of these girls to be "perfect". Venezuela is known for spending millions of hours and dollars grooming its candidates for beauty competitions. To some in the South American country, dieting and cosmetic surgery are not compulsory but commonplace nonetheless. Osmel Sousa, president of the Miss Venezuela Organization, argues that plastic surgery is necessary
correct “imperfections.” Heck even in the US pageeant officials have been known to pau for boob jobs for their girls (ummm...
Carrie Prejean).
Will the world follow suit? Maybe, maybe not. That's something we'll all have to wait to find out.
Miss England swimsuit round given marching orders by 2009's winner soldier Katrina Hodge
(Telegraph Co UK)
Please don't forget that you can still help the people of Haiti, donate to the Red Cross today. Thank you.