Beauty contests

Press, 6 November 1984, Page 16

Beauty contests

Sir,—Apparently Vernon Wilkinson gets insight into women’s issues through a red herring fishpond. While obviously unacquainted with what NOW does, he follows the common male practice of telling women what to do. NOW’S record reflects concern for all issues which affect women. One of our current committee is on A.S.H.; one has been involved in research on the pill. We are deeply concerned with the hospital, police and social cost of male rugby, which affects more women more seriously than female rugby or marathons. Nor have we missed points in Vernon Wilkinson’s letters, but some are as irrelevant to the spectacle and its consequences as asking the bears how they felt. Beauty contests are not really concerned with beauty. They are concerned with manipulating women, titillating men and selling a product. Women are not goods for display or sale, nor is Woman’s sole purpose in life to sell goods. — Yours, etc.,

BETTY ROBERTS, Co-ordinator, NOW, Christchurch. November 2, 1984.

Sir,—Many correspondents have said that women do not choose to be sex objects. They then leap to the classically sexist conclusion that whatever is not the fault of women must be the fault of men. I propose to point the finger of blame at parents — men and women — who teach their girls throughout childhood that they must catch a man. This causes the pressure that women feel to be what men want them to be. Beauty and fashion magazines are usually written by women; men do not teach women how to catch men. Girls are now being taught that they “can do anything” and do not need to catch a man. Perhaps it is time to start teaching men how to catch women? — Yours, etc., KEITH WIGNALL. November 5, 1984.