Miss Imperfect

I created this blog, Miss Imperfect, to highlight how the idea of perfectionism has not only been detrimental to my own self-esteem and confidence, but to others as well. Applying the idea of perfectionism to my career, academics, and self-image always brought feelings of hopelessness and despair. Comparing myself to others through vessels such as social media and my peers made matters worse. I believe that it is our own responsibility to build our confidence and self-esteem, but I always question how our culture directly impacts those two things. Self improvement and growth are important in all aspects of our lives, but when do we draw the line at promoting growth versus being “perfect”?

Throughout my life, I struggled with creating the perfect image of who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to achieve. If I found myself not executing something perfectly, I found that it was no good. I fell into the toxic habits of black and white thinking and other cognitive distortions. Having 100% control was the only thing that mattered. As I matured, I realized that this wasn’t serving me. I wasn’t taking my time, being patient, and I definitely wasn’t protecting my peace or well-being.

At the beginning of this year, I entered pageantry again. It brought excitement and so many new opportunities. I have made so many connections and have learned so much. The skills that you learn through pageantry can be applied to different facets of your life such as your career and interpersonal relationships. But, as someone who is just entering the field of psychology and also has interest in the study of sociology, I will always examine the logistics and functions of the groups that I am in or around. Within pageantry, I have consistently seen patterns surrounding body image. This concerns me.

Throughout my life, I have always focused on creating habits that promote physical health. I’ve done multiple sports and have had multiple attempts at creating a work out regimen. As I entered pageantry this year and received my first state title, fitness and overall physical health soon became a priority again. Multiple pageant organizations promote physical health and overall fitness for their contestants, but it is important to examine the journey that contestants are taking to achieve these fitness goals. Are we doing it because we care about our physical well-being, or is there another force driving us to maintain our overall fitness? I have seen multiple people in pageantry call out and create awareness around body image and proper representation in pageantry. I have seen those even go as far as to call out certain people within pageantry that promote unhealthy eating habits and regimes for contestants.

Through my perspective, I see that people believe that not all body types are properly represented throughout pageantry. They see contestants that are varied within body types, but when it comes down to the final stages of competition, there is no longer representation of those same body types on stage. I am not here to say that all pageant organizations practice this, and I am not here to point fingers and attack others. But I am here to examine and bring awareness as to why this is a practice that has become common and what message it brings to those who are competing and training for their dream title or placement.

When I read and examine discussions surrounding body image throughout social media, I often question how those in pageantry define being physically fit. What does fitness and excellent physical health look like to those involved in pageantry. Is it being thin and being able to wear a certain size? Is it having toned and defined muscles? Or is it being healthy no matter what shape or size you are? Are we promoting being healthy or are promoting fitting into a certain size in order to appear healthy and fit? As we all know, eating disorders and other mental health issues are prevalent amongst younger generations, and has only been amplified due to social media and the ongoing pandemic. With the advancements of technology, we are able to see and search any image that we want. We can google our own names and find information and images of us! With almost everyone participating in social media, I have observed that we can often compare ourselves to others. I believe that this translates into pageantry as well.

I believe that is unhealthy to consistently strive for perfection when it comes down to our own body image. Reaching that certain size or goal weight can be healthy, but only in moderation. With some of us constantly trying to improve upon ourselves within our pageant journeys, we may obsess over the idea of becoming something that we deem as perfect. Something that will grant us the title or placement. In my opinion, these obsessions are not healthy.

These obsessions can lead us down paths that take away from the positivity that pageantry has to offer. Instead of focusing on our own health and what that looks like on our own bodies, we are now focusing on what society deems as “healthy”. It is no longer about how well our body functions but it is now about how “good” or “perfect” our bodies look. To me, that is not what pageantry is about or should promote. It about self-improvement and enacting change within our communities. Our culture has framed physical health in a way that only promotes it as being a specific body type. But, we as human beings are vastly different from one another. We all carry a unique set of DNA and life experiences, so shouldn’t the way our bodies look reflect that?

Within my own pageantry and fitness journey, I strive for self-improvement, not perfection. My goal is consistency and overall excellent physical health. I am not going to make weight and size a priority within this journey. My overall physical health and my well-being are my main priorities. I want to be happy with my own self-image of course, but I do not want to fall into the habit of constantly critiquing and striving for a body that is deemed perfect. I am striving for a body that is in excellent health and is consistently improving.

I wish you all a happy holiday and a new year that is filled with joy and contentment!