I am a guy kind of person. I don't really follow beauty pageants and I had no idea that the Philippines was hosting this year's Miss Earth 2018.
So when I started to read articles in Facebook about how some of the contestants were sexually harassed by an event sponsor it sparked my interest because I have handled sexual harassment cases before and I was wondering how an organization like Miss Earth had done.
Now a lot of feminist has always said that beauty pageants degrade women by having them parade in skimpy swimwear and answer questions in a flippant way that aims to please the judges more than really show what their stand is.
On the other hand those that join and organize such competitions say it empowers women to be strong and independent.
I personally don't side with any of these thoughts and remain neutral.
Yet both agree that sexual harassment in any form is wrong.
Now according to CNN three candidates stepped forward and said that they were sexually harrassed and made uncomfortable by the sponsor Amado S. Cruz.
He was named by one of the victims, Miss Earth Guam, Emma Mae Sheedy. This was collaborated by Miss Earth-wide Canada, Jaime Yvonne Vanderberg and Miss Earth- England Abbey-Anne Gyles-Brown.
They recount how the sponsor was very aggressive and solicited sexual favors in exchange of winning the crown.
He was needlessly touchy and even caressed the bare backside of one of the contestants and told her to not mind it.
He also constantly called one of the candidates asking for her room number and that he wanted to go up.
It was sickening that he was doing this to candidates that spent a year preparing to compete, to be the best they can and to cheapen it by currying favor like that.
In light of the Weinstein sexual harassment cases and all the #metoo that empowered women to not stand by this kind of behavior I am surprised that some disgusting men can even still do this.
In what way is it right for grown men to dangle their influence and power to women who are living their dream to represent their country.
I am equally disgusted by how the organizers acted with them encouraging the contestants to make the sponsor happy and downplay it as being playful.
There are always two sides to the coin here and I also away how the organizers will defend themselves as well as a statement from the sponsor.
Now reading through some of the comments I am ashamed that some people say it is part of the culture of beauty pageants. It is the same as with actors who go through that infamous casting couch that if you want to move up you have to be prepared to offer anything.
Yet to me that should never be the case. One should move up because of their merits and abilities not because they spread their legs.
This misogynistic behavior that pervades in the industry must be stomped out and shown that it is not acceptable.
If you are interested to read it you can on this link
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/11/08/Miss-Earth-2018-sexual-harassment-pageant-sponsor.html
Tell me your thoughts.