When beauty pageants rose to popularity during the women's suffrage movement, they were hailed as the feminist event of the century. Pageants served as an arena for its participants to celebrate being a woman, allowing them to showcase their many contributions in a war-stricken America. More women were abandoning the shackles of domesticity and taking on new roles within a growing labor industry. That included working as semi-skilled operatives, teachers and saleswomen — just to name a few common occupations at the time.
In the following years, pageants became more sensational as women traded their politically forward sashes for figure-fitting gowns and skimpy bikinis. Looks suddenly became a primary focus in competition; intellect, not so much. Pageants had turned into a thing of ridicule, with several critics proclaiming that they stripped women of their dignity. What was once a feminist event had suddenly turned anti-feminist. But that was far from the truth.
