Throughout history, humanity has promoted excellence through primitive rituals, community events, and collectively instilled ideals. Beauty pageants represent one such effort in an attempt to define femininity and grace, as well as the ever-changing gender roles in society. While some believe that beauty pageants are harmless social events that provide education and national progress, generate awareness for charitable causes, and encourage confidence, others suggest that such pageants confuse social morals, exploit women, and instill insecurity in girls everywhere. the world. , beauty pageants have ventured into improving society and those who reside within it. Such competitions have helped provide educational and national advancement to their contestants. Competitions "[support] contestants in the pursuit of higher education" through academic scholarships generally available to finalists that promote the intellectual advancement of women (Stoeltje). Contestants also gain “the symbolic power to represent their community or nation” in these pageants, giving them the opportunity to demonstrate national pride for their country in events such as Miss World (Stoeltje). Their involvement often brings “the dynamic process of creating gender roles… in response to historical and socioeconomic circumstances… into the public eye, revealing contradictions, conflicts, and changes as they evolve” (Stoeltje). The contests also generate awareness for charitable causes in the midst of publicizing their competitions. They recognize and raise funds for local and national charitable causes, as well as churches, schools and community businesses. A competition at Indiana University in Bloomington emph... half of the document... the public curbs the natural but depraved tendency to promote self-centeredness at the expense of others. If individuals can conceive of their own identity through authentic self-exploration free from the suffocating demands of modern and superficial culture, harmful social factors such as beauty pageants will cease to darken the hearts of those who are passionate in the effort to discover who they are . Works Cited Morgan, Savana. "Girls shouldn't participate in beauty pageants." The shipment. 3 November 2011. Web. 6 November 2011."Call to cancel the Miss World feminist protest in London." BBC News 5 November 2011. Web. 6 November 2011.Stoeltje, Beverly. "Beauty contests". Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: History of Cultural Society 1. (2007): 125-130. Storm. Network. 31 Oct 2011. Yesuiah, Samuel. “Beauty Pageants: The Consequences Are Women in Turmoil, Not World Peace.” New Straits Times 6 November 2011. Web. 6 November. 2011.