Campaign against height norms in Indian beauty pageants


Jaipur, Aug 29 (IANS): Jodhpur-based girl Isha, along with 35 other girls across India, are running a campaign against the height criteria set by nationally acclaimed beauty pageants that allow entry only to girls with a minimum height of 5.5 feet.

Isha says that there are no such norms in the Miss World contest. You can be 5.1 feet and still win the Miss World title. So why are leading Indian pageants restricting ambitious girls with short height to contest, she argues.

"Jennifer Andrade from Honduras was not 5.5 feet, but she still won Miss World while being 5.2 feet tall. This height criteria in beauty pageants shatters dreams and limits Indian girls from living their dreams. This is in contrast to the most-talked about equality goal," she adds.

Isha further quotes Julia Morley, founder of Miss World, and says that she also states that there are no height criteria for participating in Miss World so why do these organisations set a strict criteria for girls?

Speaking to IANS, Isha said, "Besides me, there are girls from Rajasthan, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Delhi and Haryana who are raising their voice against this. We are using social media to raise our voice against inequality and injustice meted to girls who are ambitious and want to make a mark internationally. "

"We have made many groups on social media and have started movements like #5feetformissworld and #5feetformissuniverse to encourage girls to join us, so that they can represent problems faced by every single girl who dreams of making it to these beauty pageants," Isha told IANS.

She adds,"We are all aware that the average height of an Indian woman is around 5 feet 1 inch. So, why is beauty considered to be only about height and skin colour? Beauty is defined as the way you present yourself. Intellectual development, your beauty, style, charm, aura, looks and attitude matter," she says.

Isha has won many state-level pageants such as Fashion Glitz And Glamour Icon (Miss Beautiful Smile), Miss Rajasthan Wild Card Entry, Miss IGPC India and Elite Miss Rajasthan, however, her height makes her ineligible to go further.

Srishti from New Delhi who is 5.4 feet and wants to compete in international pageants is also part of this campaign. "We are well aware that there is some kind of discrepancy in setting such norms. While India has set 5.5 ft as height criteria in many national pageants, Nepal has set 5.4 ft as its criteria while in global competitions, there is much flexibility on this criteria."

"We are making people aware via social media, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook etc. We are also signing petitions to change these norms. Many organisers of such beauty pageants tried to block our campaigns, however, we have decided not to stop," she says.

Lucknow's Deepshikha Soni is yet another model who is short, but has big dreams. "My height gives me a complex many times as I can't spread my wings. In fact, the national pageants do not represent the true spirit of India as girls from North East who are short generally can never contest in such shows. Don't you think this criteria should be changed so that girls from all across India who are known to have an average height of 5.1 can compete," she adds.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Miss Satakshi Mishra, Betnoti Mayurbhanj Odisha

    Wed, Dec 15 2021

    True that! If the height was not a barrier, most indian girls could participate and win for sure.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sweta Singh, Gorakhpur,Uttar Pradesh

    Sun, Jul 25 2021

    Since I was 16 , I want to participate in beauty Peasant and wanted to represent my country at international level but now I am 26 and Because of this HEIGHT CRITERIA I have never ever even able to fill participation form. My Height is 5.3 but can't participate. Average height of Indian girl according to Google search is just 5 feet. What these beauty Peasant panel members thought and put these Height criteria for selection. Please Change this Norms so that least other girls will be able to get benefit from this.

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Navya, Hyderabad, Telangana

    Sat, Jul 17 2021

    I always worried that I can't participate is beauty pageants because I am only 5.1 , this is very unfair , that we are judging by height not by talent

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Parvathi, Kerala

    Sat, Jul 10 2021

    Yeah! All traditional beauty standards including height should be removed from miss India competition.... A person's beauty should be decided by the beauty of her brain and her level of aspiration not the appearance....

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Gurpreet Kaur, Punjab, India

    Wed, Jun 30 2021

    My name is Gurpreet Kaur from Punjab.. I also want to go in Miss India world but my height is 5'feet'1 inch It breaks my dream.. I'm also agree with Isha. I also want to become next Miss India world #5feetformissindia #5feetformissworld

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Nisha Topno, Jharkhand

    Sun, Mar 14 2021

    I'm willing to a part of miss india and so on but I fear my age is 5.2 which does not meet the criteria of the being the participant it really breaks my dream.

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lakshmi jha, Bihar

    Sun, Feb 28 2021

    I live in mumbai, and was born in bihar..my height is 5'1 and I want to take part in miss india competition ..I am 17 now..I fear if this height criteria stops my dream..it needs to be changed#5feetmissworld...it's really shameful if this goes on .. everyone has the right to fulfill their dreams and no one has any right to restrict it from them..many miss world or universe .. should raise their voice against this it would be effective..it's the time to change things..

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Abhilasha, Bihar

    Tue, Feb 16 2021

    I totally agree Isha,I fact I had thought about starting a campaign against it.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sahitya, Banglore

    Sat, Feb 13 2021

    I will support isha.. True words she is super women and truly height is not important plz miss india for 5 feet make it happen. I want to be come miss world from India but my height is 5.3 inches What i do now.. India really missed my talent by winning miss world 🇮🇳 #missindia5feet

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Abhirami, Kerala

    Wed, Sep 16 2020

    Height criteria should be removed because there are so many talents of height 5.1 and above
    Even though the height criteria for miss world is much relaxed anyone of 5.1 and above can participate
    But to participate in miss world contest one should win miss india That's the problem when the height requirement remove then we can see so many talented girls
    #SHOULD REMOVE HEIGHT CRITERIA FOR MISS INDIA

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kamlesh, Ambala

    Sun, Aug 30 2020

    My daughter has a v v beautiful face. She has contagious smile. I would say if there is a smile competition , irrespective of height, she will be the universal winner. I am looking for beautiful smile contest for my daughter.

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse


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