Congrats Miss Angola!

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

I don't know about you, but when I was a little girl, I used to love to watch beauty competitions, like Miss America and Miss Universe. I guess it was the closest thing to princess envy I ever had. One year, Miss Wisconsin was someone I knew. She graduated from my high school and she rode my same school bus. I was always in awe in her presence. And the fact that she was an "other" like me in our very White world (she was Korean), gave me hope that the world might consider non-blondes to be beautiful.

So, these days I don't really follow the world of beauty pageants unless some scandal hits the news and I just have to tune in to see what's happened. Well, it wasn't a scandal, but the results of this year's Miss Universe competition made world headlines yesterday because it was Miss Angola, Leila Lopes, that took the title. And yes, people, she's Black. I make that distinction because even though there have been three other Miss Universe's from Africa, only one of those three were Black. Miss Angola is actually only the second Black African Miss Universe in the competition's 60-year history.

So, for all of the little girls like me who watch these shows hoping to see someone who looks like them be declared the most beautiful woman in the world, I'm so happy for you. Congratulations to us all. And I'm wondering, do any of you watch these shows? Did you used to as a child? Do you let your kids watch them today? Why or why not? You know I'm listening.


For more information about Lopes' win, check out the article and slide show on the Huffington Post.

Peace!

Japanese Beauty

In the world of stereotypes and preconceived notions, Japanese women are rarely depicted as beauty queens. But as of last night, history turned a new page when 20-year-old Riyo Mori was crowned Miss Universe. She is only the second Japanese woman ever crowned Miss Universe. Her predecessor wore the sparkly tiara back in 1959. I wonder if the people of Japan are celebrating the victory?

Interestingly, Miss Japan won over the boisterous crowd in Mexico City because she began her speech during the interview portion of the competition with, "Hola, Mexico" and did not trip and fall during the evening gown portion of the competition like Miss USA did.

Congratulations Ms. Mori, the Meltingpot wishes you the best of luck spreading good cheer around the globe and promoting alternative visions of universal beauty.

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By the way, check out Racialicious today and watch the commercial for Iberia Airlines. Is it just me or do the Spanish people just not understand what is considered offensive, off-color, caricatures of Black people? I'm so fascinated by their complicated "issues" with Black folk, I wrote a book about it called Kinky Gazpacho. Watch for it next spring. In the meantime, appreciate the fact that this ridiculous Iberia airlines ad featuring a white baby and two hoochie mama looking Cuban women on the beach was pulled from the airwaves.

And please note that I'm not suggesting that the Spanish are alone in their collective issues knowing what is offensive to the viewing public, (Need I even utter the words Don Imus?) They've just caught my interest since I married a Spaniard and spend lots of time in that country as both an oddity and a delight. It's complicated. That's what I said before.


Hasta Pronto.