The Miss England contest organizers are currently engaged in discussions regarding the revival of the swimwear round, two decades after its prohibition.
Miss England is among several beauty pageants that eliminated this segment in order to move away from the objectification of women. The last time participants were allowed to flaunt their bikinis on stage was back in 2002.
Although the Beach Beauty Round is still present as an optional choice, women are now only required to submit a picture rather than model in front of an audience.
Angie Beasley, the director of Miss England, has expressed her intention to hold talks with the contestants to determine whether the swimwear category should be reintroduced this year.
Proponents of the swimwear round argue that women should not be deprived of the choice and believe that this category can be used to promote body positivity.
Milly Everatt, Miss Lincolnshire, who has won the Beach Beauty swimwear round twice in the past five years, supports the retention of this controversial round.
The 22-year-old farmer and HGV driver stated, “I’ve always been fully aware that this round is entirely optional, which is fantastic for those who choose not to participate. However, personally, I have always felt more confident about my body, and I would be disappointed to see this round abolished.”
She further added, “I believe it’s a fun way to celebrate body positivity. The beauty of this round lies in the freedom to choose whether to participate or not. It also serves as a fast track to the top 12, so contestants may feel compelled to take part. However, it’s just one of the ten rounds, so it would never have a detrimental impact on their Miss England campaign.”
Katrina Hodge, the winner of Miss England 2009, expressed regret earlier this year over her previous campaign to ban swimwear rounds in beauty contests.
Dubbed “Combat Barbie” for her military service in Afghanistan and Iraq during her 11-year tenure in the army, Katrina said, “I was young and naive, and I felt like a bad feminist for enjoying posing in swimwear. We were constantly being told by ‘feminists’ attempting to shut down pageants that it was wrong and objectifying. I felt pressured to comply with their views.”
She continued, “But now, after 10 years, I can see how my campaign was misguided. By successfully ending it, I took away women’s choice and freedoms. I also made the competition highly uninteresting.”
Leah Carter Welch, 22, from Greenwich, London, who won the Miss England Sports round last year, voiced her support for empowering women to feel confident in their own skin.
“As a PE teacher and an advocate for building my students’ body confidence, participating in something like this is truly commendable. It sends a wonderful message that we come in all shapes and sizes,” she stated.
Anjali Sinha, the reigning Miss London, aged 23, believes that the swimwear round provides a remarkable platform for women to embrace their physical bodies.
“It empowers women to be confident in their own skin, especially in a world where there is immense competition and comparisons on social media when it comes to body image,” she explained.
However, as a scientist from Middlesex, whose mother won Miss Mumbai, Anjali also acknowledged, “I understand that in pageantry, the focus should be more on inner beauty. Some might argue that there is no need for a swimwear round. In the ever-evolving world of pageantry, it is better to admire women for their true virtues.”
Hannah Jowle, one of this year’s semi-finalists from Blackpool, believes that confident women do not feel compelled to showcase their bodies.
Miss England director Angie Beasley expressed her understanding of both perspectives regarding the swimwear round.
She mentioned, “This round has been a subject of debate since I took over as the director of Miss England in 2002 when I initially replaced the swimwear round with sportswear on stage. Nowadays, the contest is more focused on beauty with a purpose and promoting good causes.”
Drawing from her own experience as a former contestant in the 1980s, Beasley acknowledged the feelings of the participants when it comes to the swimwear round. However, she highlighted that back then, the focus was primarily on physical appearance without any choice involved.
Beasley stated, “Miss England contestants now have the option to enter the Beach Beauty Round, which is conducted as a photoshoot. It provides one fast track place to the shortlist. Some contestants work hard to maintain a fit and healthy figure and enjoy participating in the swimwear round.”
She also emphasized, “However, the winner rarely appears in swimwear these days unless it is for a special occasion. Even the Miss World contest has eliminated the swimwear round for several years now. Hence, we are currently debating whether it is necessary to have it in Miss England at all.”
Earlier this year, Miss Northern Ireland announced the removal of the swimwear round, as they believed it was diverting attention from the true message and significance of the contest.