This Beauty Pageant is Trying Not to Judge Contestants on Their Beauty

Erin Stanfield was recently crowned Face Of The Globe Australia (Photo: Instagram)

It’s easy to pigeonhole beauty queens – they’re all gorgeous, tall, thin, pious, and philanthropic as a rule. But this pageant doesn’t want to crown the typical beauty queen. “Face Of The Globe is a little bit different than your normal run of the mill pageant,” Erin Stanfield, recently crowned Face Of The Globe Australia told Sunshine Coast Daily. “You’re judged on your journey and what you’ve done in the lead up and how you’re a role model for women rather than what you look like.” If you think a beauty contest that doesn’t consider beauty sounds a little confusing, we’re with you.

Stanfield insists that this pageant places more emphasis on philanthropy than appearance. Judges focus on the contestants’ philanthropic work over the past year, and allow married women, mothers, and older women to participate, unlike many other pageants. “I have spent the last six months tirelessly fundraising, volunteering, participating in charity work, making appearances at local attractions, and doing good deeds around the Sunshine Coast community,” she says. “I’ve been eat, sleeping, and breathing this.” While noble, the vision of the pageant seems a bit clouded. Each of the 43 contestants are required to pass fitness tests and pose for photo shoots that the judges consider when choosing their queen. And while the contestants may have more diverse body types than those typical of other pageants, they are certainly all beautiful. Sponsors of Face Of The Globe include a temporary dental veneers company and a wig company, both components of a standardized beauty pageant look.

“Not your average beauty queen.” Face Of The Globe’s Instagram documents the diverse interests of its contestants, including a Rugby playing Face Of The Globe England. (Photo: Instagram)

Still, Stanfield finds the Face Of The Globe’s philosophy inspirational. “There is really a tough stigma that beauty pageants can be negative for women, but I’ve only had positive experiences,” she told Daily Mail. “I truly believe I’m the confident, motivated woman I am today because of pageants. Having competition makes you want to step up and be the best you can be.” We hope all pageant participants have an equally positive experience, and Face Of The Globe is an indicator that the pageant world may be taking a step in the right direction towards body acceptance and more emphasis on philanthropy than beauty. We appreciate the effort.

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