Back in 1970 – a year after our very own Gloria Diaz was crowned Miss Universe in Miami Beach, Florida – a different kind of atmosphere pervaded inside the Royal Albert Hall in London during the interrupted finals of Miss World 1970 the reigning Eva Reuber-Staier of Austria crowned her successor Jennifer Hosten of Grenada.
Protestors against the pageant flooded the audience. Properly dressed in attires befitting the formal dress code of the event and blended amongst the many watchers, they created a commotion of sorts to air their opposition against the objectification of women in a pageant spectacle based solely on their physical beauty. This angered the feminist movement to no end. In the video below, Sally Alexander (one of the rattlers, so to speak) explained the group’s reasons behind the protest and how it stalled the proceedings (including the distraction on host Bob Hope). Watch now.
Interestingly, this issue against beauty pageants in general dragged for decades and was even included as part of the Q&A in many of them. Of course, we now know how both Miss World and Miss Universe have evolved. Causes and advocacies are now staple requirements, if you will. Regardless of whether pageant followers like us find it just a tad too much at times that some of the projects are questioned for their relative authenticity.
if were a judge during MW 1970, here are my choices:
MW 1970 – Africa South
2nd place and runner up to Miss World – Israel
3rd place – Brazil
There were 2 reps from South Africa. Miss South Africa who represented white South Africans and Miss Africa South who represented black South Africans. WHAT A SHAME!. No wonder, some countries boycotted this contest before.
From the history records of women’s liberation movement, the first disruption to a beauty pageant was in 1968 when women picketed the Miss America Beauty Pageant because it promoted “physical attractiveness and charm as the primary measure of a woman’s worth”. That was the start of the gradual evolution of that pageant into a platform-based scholarship contest. In the case of MW, we can surmise the 1970 protest incident to be the spark that ignited the gradual evolution into a “beauty with a purpose” contest.
@ scorg Choose one and explain your choice (Q&A time).
“Not just beautiful, but also highly-accomplished in her life-role”. Or,
“Excellent at what she does best, and so happens to be beautiful, too”.
@Flor: They are one and the same. Both statements dichotomize beauty into physical and cerebral, outer and inner. A truly beautiful person is not just physically pleasing but also intellectually engaging, and whose accomplishments are morally uplifting. A truly beautiful person glows with confidence in good times and radiates inspiring character in bad times.
This was the time when Julia Morley actually resigned… imagine Sweden getting 4 votes (Number 1) out of the 9 judges but she ended up as 3rd runner up… edi inulan cla ng protesta and Julia cannot handle the pressure nung time n un. Ngaun eh sanay n ata c Madame.
It was because of the confusing absolute majority rule that made it possible for Grenada to come out from nowhere and pip Maj into 4th place
Noon pa man bias na talaga itong Miss World sa mga British territories and former colonies. Very evident yan.
Having watched the full pageant on tape, I thought Miss Africa South was just stunning and so queenly. I actually thought she was much more beautiful than Grenada and should’ve ended up with the crown. Speaking of that crown, it was hideous and looked like a baked Alaska gone wrong.
Here’s a more detailed article from The Sun on what happened at the Royal Albert Hall on that fateful night. I never thought the late Bob Hope could be such an asshole and a cur (pardon my language). I also learned from reading it that Julia Morley doesn’t just appear feisty and strong-willed, she literally is one – holding Bob’s ankle while the latter tried to escape (hats off to her). https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/7807763/miss-world-protest-film-keeley-hawes-keira-knightley-miss-world-protest/
What if di tuloy and MU, BBP &MUP this year, pano yung girls na ang age this year ay sagad na sa age limit?
Bob Hope was disrespectful? He has NOTHING on Benny Hill. 🙂
Africa South gave Ann Colis vibes. South Africa reminds me of Carmen Kaas of Estonia. Sweden was BEAUTIFUL.
Grenada was British Commonwealth territory, too, wasn’t it?
Now, ALV knows how to do it next time. The Finalistas are backstage, and sashed before coming out to be recognized properly. That crown is “not pretty”, looks like a circular rack of pork with Christmas stuffing.
Nonetheless, UK is FOREVER. The Queen (the legit, NOT pageant) just gave a wonderful speech guaranteed to SWELL British hearts with pride. Good thing MG got MG as car sponsor for MUP.
Nuestro senor de Sto Niño ba ito????
@ Sjeffie Cheon No, I doubt predominantly Anglican Church UK would get inspiration from Catholic iconography.
@Flor Tula
That’s obviously a rhetorical question 😂