By Sumudu Chamara and Savaira Sammoon
Sri Lanka, all of a sudden, commenced talking about beauty standards and marital status early this week, and now a new discussion about the standards of the modelling and beauty pageant industry has arisen.
At the grand finale of the Mrs. Sri Lanka for Mrs. World 2020 beauty pageant, reigning Mrs. World Caroline Jurie snatched Mrs. Sri Lanka World 2020 Pushpika De Silva’s crown to crown the first runner-up as the winner, claiming that De Silva was a divorcee. Following the incident, De Silva said that she was not a divorcee but that she was living separate from her spouse, and also that she was deeply affected by the said incident.
However, after a series of events that followed, including De Silva lodging a complaint with the Police over alleged injuries to her scalp caused by the actions of Jurie and another, on 6 April, De Silva was re-crowned as Mrs. Sri Lanka World 2020. It is also learnt that there is an ongoing police investigation in connection with the incident.
Later, a statement said to have been issued by Mrs. World Inc said the incident goes against the Mrs. Sri Lanka Code of Conduct and the predetermined regulations all relevant persons, including Jurie, were obliged to follow during their reign. The statement also read that Mrs. World Inc will review the aforementioned incident and take appropriate steps based on the outcome of their assessment.
The incident kick-started a spate of discussions, especially on social media, concerning the marital status of De Silva as well as the lack of organisation of the event. Rumors were also spread on social media platforms that political and personal issues were behind what took place. The general public, meanwhile, is of the opinion that regardless of the reasons that caused the incident, it is evident that the situation could have been handled more diplomatically with the involvement of the event organisers. Also, it raised concerns about the overall modelling and beauty pageant industries in the country, as most viewed this as an incident that may affect the country’s image in the world.
Thanks to Sri Lanka’s modelling industry, the country has been in the limelight on many occasions. In addition to a number of international-level beauty pageants, Sri Lanka has won the Mrs. World title twice – in 1984 by incumbent Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake and in 2020 by Jurie.
To look into the present situation of Sri Lanka’s beauty pageant and modelling industries and related pros and cons concerning women, The Morning spoke to several individuals who are in a position to shed some light on the matter.
[caption id="attachment_129122" align="alignright" width="304"]
Pushpika De Silva after being re-crowned as Mrs.Sri Lanka World 2020[/caption]
Govt. involvement
Several persons who spoke to The Morning emphasised the importance of the Government taking steps to introduce a proper system to ensure the standards of the industry.
When questioned as to what changes should be implemented in the industry to prevent similar incidents, a Miss Earth Sri Lanka, who wished to remain anonymous, said that first and foremost, it is important to set up a “fashion council” with the involvement of the government. Stressing the importance of having in place proper rules and regulations, she said that providing training on public relations and etiquette/manners is also essential.
Speaking of the recent incident, she added that what took place at the Mrs. Sri Lanka for Mrs. World 2021 grand finale was a very disrespectful and wholly unprofessional act, adding that, however, it is not possible to place the entirety of the blame on just one person. She said the said incident would certainly affect Sri Lanka and the world beauty pageant industry.
The Miss Earth Sri Lanka also said that having proper sponsorship, media support, and financial assistance would improve the situation. “I believe we have to be extremely careful with what we say to the media and what we do in our day-to-day lives, because at the end, we represent the country as ambassadors.”
Meanwhile, expressing similar opinions, *Amila, a professional in the industry who possesses decades of experience in organising local and international beauty pageants, added that in order to protect the industry as well as the country’s image in the world, there needs to be a proper mechanism to assess the industry, especially models. He noted that even though Sri Lanka’s modelling industry used to be mainly for entertainment and talent showcasing in the past few decades, as those who organised them had other means of income, today it has become a business in itself, leading to it becoming merely a profit-oriented business that does not give adequate consideration to standards and professionalism.
Speaking on the importance of having in place a proper authority or mechanism, Amila told The Morning: “There is no one to guide the modelling agencies. I think that the President should take steps in this connection, as some events, such as the one that took place recently, affected the country’s image. There should be a committee or an authority to oversee the modelling industry, and beauty pageant organisers should be required to obtain approval from it.”
“There should be an authority or a mechanism to look into the background and track record of event organisers in order to check where the money comes from. Black money is being invested by organisers, and no one knows the source of that money. Instead of professionals, we can see that there are all sorts of people in the industry, especially when it comes to the newly formed modelling agencies and skills development academies,” he added.
*Anuradha, a male model, told The Morning that the lack of sponsorship by the government as well as the unavailability of a proper mechanism to ensure adherence to international standards and to check the qualifications of beauty pageant organisers are two of the main issues in the modelling industry, which are also the reasons that have led to many other issues in the industry.
He shared that due to the government not playing any role in Sri Lanka’s modelling industry, those getting qualified to contest at international competitions face many challenges and that it compels them to seek the assistance of sponsors. This, according to him, is one of the reasons that lead to sexual and labour exploitation as well as sexual and monetary bribes. He noted that it is, therefore, high time the government intervenes to ensure the quality and standards of the industry by introducing some kind of system, as it would help prevent many issues.
Amila too said that it is high time for the authorities to take measures to ensure the standards of the modelling industry, as it is interrelated with many other industries such as photography, event management, and fashion.
Bribes, exploitation, and standards
Those who spoke with The Morning also said that in addition to the lack of support and guidance from the government, the industry is plagued with several irregularities that have stemmed from such inadequacies.
Amila alleged that prostitution, sexual and labour exploitation, illegally earned money, declining standards, bribes, and the influence of powerful people are some of the pressing issues in the industry. He stressed that even though Sri Lanka has renowned, talented professionals in the industry, today the industry is plagued with a large number of below-standard models and modelling agencies.
Expressing similar sentiments, Anuradha added that taking monetary and sexual bribes from contestants is also a prevalent issue in the industry. “There are a lot of newcomers in the industry, and a lot of them are not aware of these exploitations in the industry. They also do not possess the adequate educational qualifications, all of which makes them more prone to exploitation. New models, modelling agencies, and model and fashion photographers pop up like mushrooms, and there is no authority or mechanism to evaluate the quality and standards of their work. Not only do they give a bad name to the entire industry, they also tarnish the name of genuinely talented and professional individuals in the industry,” he noted.
“Sri Lanka’s modelling industry seems to lack professionalism and adherence to international standards. They are selling the crown to make money. We have learnt of incidents where certain models paid for the crown, and if the model does not have enough money to buy it, the organisers set them up with sponsors, usually businessmen or politicians. They prostitute the model and have the businessmen or politicians make the payment on their behalf,” Anuradha further opined.
Amila noted that prostitution and sexual exploitation of both male and female models is a pressing issue in the industry, adding that no one talks about it openly. He noted that while some models willingly engage in prostitution for monetary gains or popularity, some are forced to do so in order to remain in the industry. “Sometimes, refusal to engage in prostitution or to pay sexual bribes can even cost them their career prospects,” he stressed, adding that not only models, upcoming actors and actresses too get abused and sexually exploited by directors and producers.
Among other issues, there is also one of sponsors/producers investing black money in the industry, Amila alleged, stressing that the authorities should also look into this. He added that allowing unqualified individuals to remain in the industry would tarnish Sri Lanka’s name in the world, and that merely winning a beauty pageant does not qualify a person to train new models. “Also, upcoming photographers and filmmakers are everywhere; but there is no one to assess whether they maintain industry standards,” he noted.
Adding that the above mentioned irregularities exist in many countries, especially in Asia, Amila further noted that poverty and the lack of education are two of the reasons that have created this situation.
Anuradha also identified the lack of qualifications of beauty pageant contestants and organisers as another issue that has caused a decline in the standards of the industry. He opined that when unqualified individuals organise such events, it is impossible to expect international-level standards or an adherence to the proper rules.
“There were instances where competitions were held in Sri Lanka under various names, masquerading to be international events. But in reality, there were no such events in the world. If there was a proper system to look into the qualifications of the organisers of these events, such issues would not have arisen,” he explained.
With regard to monetary bribes, Anuradha alleged that some of the beauty pageants promote bribery while certain organisers take bribes to give the victory to selected contestants. Due to this, talented models have less of a chance of winning, while those who can spend money have bigger opportunities. He added that at present, the monetary aspects of the industry have subdued the talent and entertainment aspects. “Making Sri Lanka proud receives less priority,” he opined.
Empowering or objectifying?
In a context where mixed opinions have been expressed concerning the concept of beauty pageants, The Morning also looked into the role of such events in the modern world.
Hashtag Generation Social Media Analyst Saritha Irugalbandara said that beauty pageants are quite outdated and at the same time, there is some truth in the fact that they reinforce the objectification of women based on certain outdated standards of beauty, because beauty pageants usually feature skinny, tall, and light-skinned women.
“It is only now that the skin tone issue is becoming more inclusive. But you will never see a woman bigger than, for instance, size eight in these beauty pageants. So there are still very Eurocentric beauty standards. Also, they essentially judge women largely on physical beauty, which is very subjective. At the same time, I think it is wrong to assume that women who participate in these events have no agency. Some women might find it empowering – there is nothing wrong if you want to use your physical appearance to achieve a title,” she added.
With regard to the recent event, she added that it could have been executed properly in a way that does not make it a public spectacle.
Commenting on the role of social media in promoting beauty standards, Irugalbandara noted that normal everyday women comparing them to models existed before social media; but social media platforms have amplified that comparison because you are constantly bombarded with perfectly curated content.
“At the same time, due to avenues like social media, especially picture sharing apps, it creates a space for inclusivity because now we have plus size models, differently abled models, amputee models, and models with dark skin tones who, because of social media, have been able to create this space. Obviously, it could be better, because it is still saturated with archetypal, skinny, white women. But it is becoming better, and I think that even for everyday women, it is possible for them to find a bit of space for them to feel empowered in their bodies on social media. So I do not think that it is necessarily a bad thing; but I will agree that women making comparisons is exacerbated, mainly because we are on social media a lot,” she added.
Irugalbandara also said that there is a positive aspect to it. “It is possible for women to find some empowerment as it is an open platform and women can post whatever they want to, and in that sense, I think social media is beneficial to give space to more voices. If they are doing so through an agency, they will check a woman’s height, skin tone, weight, etc., whereas on social media, because of their online presence, maybe the agency that looks for your body type or skin tone would find them. It makes communication and discovery a lot easier. However, if it makes a woman compare herself to an unhealthy degree, then it is certainly an issue,” she explained.
According to those who spoke with The Morning, the modelling and beauty pageant industries can create a huge influence, as it is connected with a number of other industries. However, adopting international standards is not sufficient to ensure its progress; the practical issues they pointed out should also be addressed.
*Name changed to protect the individual’s identity.
Pushpika De Silva after being re-crowned as Mrs.Sri Lanka World 2020[/caption]
Govt. involvement
Several persons who spoke to The Morning emphasised the importance of the Government taking steps to introduce a proper system to ensure the standards of the industry.
When questioned as to what changes should be implemented in the industry to prevent similar incidents, a Miss Earth Sri Lanka, who wished to remain anonymous, said that first and foremost, it is important to set up a “fashion council” with the involvement of the government. Stressing the importance of having in place proper rules and regulations, she said that providing training on public relations and etiquette/manners is also essential.
Speaking of the recent incident, she added that what took place at the Mrs. Sri Lanka for Mrs. World 2021 grand finale was a very disrespectful and wholly unprofessional act, adding that, however, it is not possible to place the entirety of the blame on just one person. She said the said incident would certainly affect Sri Lanka and the world beauty pageant industry.
The Miss Earth Sri Lanka also said that having proper sponsorship, media support, and financial assistance would improve the situation. “I believe we have to be extremely careful with what we say to the media and what we do in our day-to-day lives, because at the end, we represent the country as ambassadors.”
Meanwhile, expressing similar opinions, *Amila, a professional in the industry who possesses decades of experience in organising local and international beauty pageants, added that in order to protect the industry as well as the country’s image in the world, there needs to be a proper mechanism to assess the industry, especially models. He noted that even though Sri Lanka’s modelling industry used to be mainly for entertainment and talent showcasing in the past few decades, as those who organised them had other means of income, today it has become a business in itself, leading to it becoming merely a profit-oriented business that does not give adequate consideration to standards and professionalism.
Speaking on the importance of having in place a proper authority or mechanism, Amila told The Morning: “There is no one to guide the modelling agencies. I think that the President should take steps in this connection, as some events, such as the one that took place recently, affected the country’s image. There should be a committee or an authority to oversee the modelling industry, and beauty pageant organisers should be required to obtain approval from it.”
“There should be an authority or a mechanism to look into the background and track record of event organisers in order to check where the money comes from. Black money is being invested by organisers, and no one knows the source of that money. Instead of professionals, we can see that there are all sorts of people in the industry, especially when it comes to the newly formed modelling agencies and skills development academies,” he added.
*Anuradha, a male model, told The Morning that the lack of sponsorship by the government as well as the unavailability of a proper mechanism to ensure adherence to international standards and to check the qualifications of beauty pageant organisers are two of the main issues in the modelling industry, which are also the reasons that have led to many other issues in the industry.
He shared that due to the government not playing any role in Sri Lanka’s modelling industry, those getting qualified to contest at international competitions face many challenges and that it compels them to seek the assistance of sponsors. This, according to him, is one of the reasons that lead to sexual and labour exploitation as well as sexual and monetary bribes. He noted that it is, therefore, high time the government intervenes to ensure the quality and standards of the industry by introducing some kind of system, as it would help prevent many issues.
Amila too said that it is high time for the authorities to take measures to ensure the standards of the modelling industry, as it is interrelated with many other industries such as photography, event management, and fashion.
Bribes, exploitation, and standards
Those who spoke with The Morning also said that in addition to the lack of support and guidance from the government, the industry is plagued with several irregularities that have stemmed from such inadequacies.
Amila alleged that prostitution, sexual and labour exploitation, illegally earned money, declining standards, bribes, and the influence of powerful people are some of the pressing issues in the industry. He stressed that even though Sri Lanka has renowned, talented professionals in the industry, today the industry is plagued with a large number of below-standard models and modelling agencies.
Expressing similar sentiments, Anuradha added that taking monetary and sexual bribes from contestants is also a prevalent issue in the industry. “There are a lot of newcomers in the industry, and a lot of them are not aware of these exploitations in the industry. They also do not possess the adequate educational qualifications, all of which makes them more prone to exploitation. New models, modelling agencies, and model and fashion photographers pop up like mushrooms, and there is no authority or mechanism to evaluate the quality and standards of their work. Not only do they give a bad name to the entire industry, they also tarnish the name of genuinely talented and professional individuals in the industry,” he noted.
“Sri Lanka’s modelling industry seems to lack professionalism and adherence to international standards. They are selling the crown to make money. We have learnt of incidents where certain models paid for the crown, and if the model does not have enough money to buy it, the organisers set them up with sponsors, usually businessmen or politicians. They prostitute the model and have the businessmen or politicians make the payment on their behalf,” Anuradha further opined.
Amila noted that prostitution and sexual exploitation of both male and female models is a pressing issue in the industry, adding that no one talks about it openly. He noted that while some models willingly engage in prostitution for monetary gains or popularity, some are forced to do so in order to remain in the industry. “Sometimes, refusal to engage in prostitution or to pay sexual bribes can even cost them their career prospects,” he stressed, adding that not only models, upcoming actors and actresses too get abused and sexually exploited by directors and producers.
Among other issues, there is also one of sponsors/producers investing black money in the industry, Amila alleged, stressing that the authorities should also look into this. He added that allowing unqualified individuals to remain in the industry would tarnish Sri Lanka’s name in the world, and that merely winning a beauty pageant does not qualify a person to train new models. “Also, upcoming photographers and filmmakers are everywhere; but there is no one to assess whether they maintain industry standards,” he noted.
Adding that the above mentioned irregularities exist in many countries, especially in Asia, Amila further noted that poverty and the lack of education are two of the reasons that have created this situation.
Anuradha also identified the lack of qualifications of beauty pageant contestants and organisers as another issue that has caused a decline in the standards of the industry. He opined that when unqualified individuals organise such events, it is impossible to expect international-level standards or an adherence to the proper rules.
“There were instances where competitions were held in Sri Lanka under various names, masquerading to be international events. But in reality, there were no such events in the world. If there was a proper system to look into the qualifications of the organisers of these events, such issues would not have arisen,” he explained.
With regard to monetary bribes, Anuradha alleged that some of the beauty pageants promote bribery while certain organisers take bribes to give the victory to selected contestants. Due to this, talented models have less of a chance of winning, while those who can spend money have bigger opportunities. He added that at present, the monetary aspects of the industry have subdued the talent and entertainment aspects. “Making Sri Lanka proud receives less priority,” he opined.
Empowering or objectifying?
In a context where mixed opinions have been expressed concerning the concept of beauty pageants, The Morning also looked into the role of such events in the modern world.
Hashtag Generation Social Media Analyst Saritha Irugalbandara said that beauty pageants are quite outdated and at the same time, there is some truth in the fact that they reinforce the objectification of women based on certain outdated standards of beauty, because beauty pageants usually feature skinny, tall, and light-skinned women.
“It is only now that the skin tone issue is becoming more inclusive. But you will never see a woman bigger than, for instance, size eight in these beauty pageants. So there are still very Eurocentric beauty standards. Also, they essentially judge women largely on physical beauty, which is very subjective. At the same time, I think it is wrong to assume that women who participate in these events have no agency. Some women might find it empowering – there is nothing wrong if you want to use your physical appearance to achieve a title,” she added.
With regard to the recent event, she added that it could have been executed properly in a way that does not make it a public spectacle.
Commenting on the role of social media in promoting beauty standards, Irugalbandara noted that normal everyday women comparing them to models existed before social media; but social media platforms have amplified that comparison because you are constantly bombarded with perfectly curated content.
“At the same time, due to avenues like social media, especially picture sharing apps, it creates a space for inclusivity because now we have plus size models, differently abled models, amputee models, and models with dark skin tones who, because of social media, have been able to create this space. Obviously, it could be better, because it is still saturated with archetypal, skinny, white women. But it is becoming better, and I think that even for everyday women, it is possible for them to find a bit of space for them to feel empowered in their bodies on social media. So I do not think that it is necessarily a bad thing; but I will agree that women making comparisons is exacerbated, mainly because we are on social media a lot,” she added.
Irugalbandara also said that there is a positive aspect to it. “It is possible for women to find some empowerment as it is an open platform and women can post whatever they want to, and in that sense, I think social media is beneficial to give space to more voices. If they are doing so through an agency, they will check a woman’s height, skin tone, weight, etc., whereas on social media, because of their online presence, maybe the agency that looks for your body type or skin tone would find them. It makes communication and discovery a lot easier. However, if it makes a woman compare herself to an unhealthy degree, then it is certainly an issue,” she explained.
According to those who spoke with The Morning, the modelling and beauty pageant industries can create a huge influence, as it is connected with a number of other industries. However, adopting international standards is not sufficient to ensure its progress; the practical issues they pointed out should also be addressed.
*Name changed to protect the individual’s identity.