The Carnival Development Corporation says it believes that it is justifiable to continue to bar women who have given birth from entering the Miss SVG pageant.
“Since I’ve been following beauty pageants, I have seen that: not given birth to a child.
“I think it is because the body changes after giving birth. Some people take care of their bodies and stuff but it has been one of the main requirements,” Cheryl Rodriguez, chair of the CDC’s Beauty Shows Committee told the media on Tuesday.
Related:
- Miss SVG 2015 show promises ‘provocative’ swimwear, ‘entertaining performances’
- Follow #MissSVG2015 and #VincyMas2015 for IWN updates during Saturday’s show
“I am not sure where it came from, but from ever since I have been doing beauty pageants, that’s what I have seen,” Rodriguez said.
She was responding to a question about the origin of the criterion and whether its perpetuation is justifiable.
“I think so, because most definitely, after giving birth, the body does change, and the body is very important. These young ladies will tell you how much hard work Sean put them through here to get them toned up and trimmed and the stomach flat and all the muscles firm and everything,” Rodriguez said in reference to the eight young women who will compete in the Miss SVG pageant on Saturday.
Rodriguez, however, agreed that there are many beautiful young mothers.
“There are other shows that mothers can take part in. We are not discriminating, we appreciate our mothers too, but there are other shows they can take part in.
“Miss Universe, Miss World, all those other pageants, they have the same criteria,” she said.
What about a “virgins only” rule?
I guess that wouldn’t work because there wouldn’t be any contestants!