College Tribune | November 25th 2008
News
Threats of resistance against Miss UCD ■ Organisation accuses Ents Officer of self-publicity ■ Students’ Union ‘completely misses the point’ ■ Karina Bracken Controversial beauty pageant Miss UCD has been voted in by the Students’ Union Council despite discontent amongst student groups. Reacting to the decision, Elisa O’Donovan of UCD Staff and Students Against Sexism, said: “Obviously we're very disappointed with SU council's decision to hold Miss UCD again this year. Honestly, there is only one reason I can think why the Ents officer, Gary Redmond, would want to run this after the controversy last year and that is for publicity for himself.” O’Donovan further says, “Miss UCD 2009 will defiantly be met with resistance. Many students once again are outraged that the union is funding such a competition. These competitions are dragging women back to the days when we were only judged by our appearance. I also don't think students’ money should be supporting the Miss Universe franchise that is ultimately quite degrading to both men and women.” Campaigns and Communications Vice-President Dan O’Neill pointed out that the decision
appears particularly damaging because all of the SU Sabbatical officers are male. However, O’Donovan believes “the fact that the sabbatical officers are all male this year is irrelevant, as both Dan O'Neill and Aodhán O Deá supported the protest against Miss UCD last year.” She added “we obviously do have a complete lack of female representation in union positions. I don't think holding a beauty pageant is the right way to draw women to get involved in the union.” O’Donovan is of the view that the decision to bring back the competition reflects badly on UCDSU. “It's very hypocritical of the union really. Miss UCD undoes some of the good work done by the SU, such as running talks by Bodywhys. But then they turn around and fund a competition that perpetuates this myth of an 'ideal' female body. Similarly, there is no point of the SU running a Disability Awareness week and then holding a competition that pretty much excludes disabled people from entering. They have also missed the entire point of Women’s Week, whose aim was to empower women to feel more confident about themselves.”
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■ Miss UCD: The pageant has been met with opposition
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