#International Pageantry

[justhowmuchiloveit]

On The Road Again - Pageant Weekend in Mississippi!

Tomorrow Stacey and I begin our trip to Mississippi for the first IAWP preliminary competition! Today, I'm walking you through my suitcase and detailing my packing process!

[darkhorsesph]

The last time a dusky-skinned candidate won Miss International was way back 2014. Meanwhile, no black candidate was crowned yet, but only managed to bag runner-up positions in the said pageant. Will we see a black winner this year?

[thetzar]

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

Miss Supranational - Andrea Aguilera (Ecuador)

Miss Grand International - Luciano Fuster (Peru)

Miss International - Andrea Rubio (Venezuela)

[thetzar]

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《

Miss International 2023

Miss International Venezuela 🇻🇪 -> Andrea Rubio

Well Deserved Winner, Loved her 💙 ❤. Thank Goodness I didn't miss Crowning Night.

Miss International Venezuela 2023 Final Evening Gown

[mooreaux]

Silly questions ahoy. Sorry not sorry.

Who fell first, Deirdre or Gale?

Who fell harder?

Were there any things outside of the main romance plot beats that they had to overcome?

Do they have a Big Waterdhavian Wedding?

Well here is a real time pic of them realizing simultaneously that they were already neck deep in a romance without having clocked it up until that very moment

So much more rambling under the cut!

Deirdre and Gale started off as respectful colleagues. He had his little ‘o wow a warlock huh’ and she had her little ‘yeah what of it wizard boy?’ Both incredibly polite about it of course. They gravitated to one another immediately because they are both well read and spoken and kinda looked at the rest of their companions like

So in actuality they buddied up and then got teased relentlessly for being like an old married couple when neither one of them was even in the realm of romantic attraction. Gale because…. Bomb In Chest. And Deirdre having an internal incredibly well hidden behind bardic shenanigans PTSD nightmare from the horrors she witnessed during her imprisonment in Menzoberranzan.

It was only when they started sharing their magic; the weave scene, and the pic above with Dede sharing some fey vibes, that they started to shift from platonic to romantic. I would say Gale fell a little harder and faster because he just seems like that kind of person to me? Like he knows all the reasons he shouldn’t and that kinda unconsciously eggs him on even more. I’d say the crisis with Mystra’s order thru Elminster pushed them both into taking the step of actually admitting feelings tho. Dede couldn’t stand the thought of losing him. Especially to himself.

As for the last two questions… yeah. Gale’s big grand gestures got them into a bit of hot water during and post game. His constant need to prove himself worried Deirdre a lot about his self worth beyond what he could do for her. She had to go through a lot of talks with him to let him know he was enough. Just him. As he was. No magic or pageantry even tho she loves that about him too.

And of course, Dede has a TON of intimacy issues. A lot was done to her without her consent thru her life. Tadpole being the most recent offense. So she doesn’t really like surprises and has a hard time letting people in. Which is funny considering how bright and bombastic her personality is. She uses it mainly to cover the hurt. Not to say she isn’t well adjusted. She spent many many years with her patron working thru the stuff the lolthsworn drow did to her. Tadpole just kinda inflamed the wound again.

So yeah! I think it was actually several years before he even proposed. And several more after that until they got married. But the wedding was HUGE. Her family is gigantic and they have a wide social circle with the folk of Waterdeep, and Baldur’s Gate, and the Druid Grove which they still frequently visited. Gale went above and beyond constructing a castle out of flowers just for the occasion (dedes Patron helped).

Thank u so much for the ask Harding! I love my gnome gal (and i luv urs too)

[toomanythoughts2]

Why Did Serveta Never Compete for Miss Universe? A Theory on Serveta's Life and Skwisgaar's Birth

Hello everyone! This theory was born simply from the phrase, "Skwisgaar is technically a nepo baby." I wanted to look into just how Nepo he actually was and if it was ever that serious. While digging, I formed a small theory based on the information I found.

GIST: Serveta is victim of hyper sexualization and grooming in the pageantry world. As a young woman, Serveta competed for Miss Sweden and won. She was given the opportunity to compete for Miss Universe but was later rejected because she became pregnant, something contestants are not allowed to be in order to compete. The birth of Skwisgaar rendered Serveta from living out her dream of becoming Miss Universe, which is the goal for pageantry contestants and would have made Serveta very wealthy and famous. The resentment she felt for Skwisgaar turned into neglect and sexual abuse.

TW: Sexual Abuse of a Minor

As always, longer theory under the cut!

Miss Sweden and Miss Universe

Ingrid Goude, the real 1956 Miss Sweden.

Miss Sweden began in 1949, 7 years before Serveta would compete in 1956. Miss Sweden is the beauty pageant that contestants need to win in Sweden in order to represent Sweden in Miss Universe, a highly sought out pageantry for women all across the globe. Miss Universe is recognized as one of the Big Four Beauty Pageants in the world. (Miss World, Miss Earth, and Miss International)

Rules

In order to compete, there are certain rules the contestants need to follow.

Miss Sweden x

Not allowed to be married (Has been possibly changed)

Not allowed to have kids (Has been possibly changed)

Only females are allowed to compete

4 phases: Interview, Evening Gown, Swimsuit/Fitness, Onstage Question

Age Range from 18 - 27

No ethnicity requirement

No unique requirement

Must live in Sweden

Miss Universe x

Age: As of September 2023, there is no upper age limit. Previously, the age range was 18 to 28 years old on the date of the national competition.

Citizenship: Each delegate must be a citizen of the country she represents.

Marital Status and Parental Status: Since August 2022, there are no restrictions on marital status or having children. Previously, contestants could not be married, divorced, pregnant, or have parented a child.

Criminal Background: While there is no official rule, most countries would likely not send a delegate with a criminal record.

Citizenship Verification: Delegates must provide documented proof of citizenship in the country they represent. This could involve birth certificates, passports, or other official documents.

Background Checks: While not always explicitly stated, many countries conduct background checks on potential delegates to ensure they don’t have any criminal records or controversies that could tarnish the pageant’s image.

Transgender Participation: The Miss Universe Organization currently does not allow transgender women to compete. This is a complex issue with ongoing discussions, and the policy might evolve in the future.

Winnings for Miss Sweden

In both modern time and in 1956, the rewards for winning Miss Sweden focuses a lot on exposure rather than money. Winning usually meant that contracts for modeling companies would open up, be awarded scholarship money for school, win a small amount of cash, or gain allowances for personal services like hair and clothing. x x x

However, both times, the winner of Miss Sweden (as long as they are not too young to compete) can be sent to compete in Miss Universe, which is the big reason for winning this competition.

Winnings for Miss Universe

In modern times, Miss Universe receives her prestigious title along with x:  

A $250,000 cash prize  

A $50,000 monthly salary during her reign, as reported by EFE 

The opportunity to champion charitable causes and promote international initiatives  

 All expenses paid for trips in private jets

The reigning queen also lives for a year in the organization's luxurious apartment in New York City.

Will host Miss Universe's upcoming YouTube traveling show

A luxurious watch

From this list (and the fact that I can not find information on what the winner of Miss Universe of 1956 won) the winnings for Miss Universe in 1956 most likely consisted of:

Some kind of high paying salary or cash prize

A crown

A title

A movie contract x

Some expenses paid for pageantry related things

The opportunity to become an advocate for social issues or causes.

All in all, winning Miss Universe ultimately is a much bigger deal with higher cash rewards, more prestige, and plenty of career opportunities after your reign is over. It would make a lot of sense for those who won Miss Sweden to compete in Miss Universe.

Sexual Abuse and Grooming In Pageants

JonBenét Ramsey, victim of sexualization from child pageants

Training

Women do not just compete for titles like Miss Sweden without training. Child Pageants are money making machines. Think of it in the context of a family vlogger harassing their children and/or forcing them to be in videos and participate. Just like how these children have no laws pertaining to their rights as workers, the same goes for child pageantry contestants.

Many young girls go through serious training for pageants, often resulting in these children being restricted from proper sleep, nutrition, and socialization. Remember Toddlers and Tiaras?

This is labor. This is a child. The US has labor laws in place for children but they don't cover pageants, these children are at the mercy of their parents or caregivers.

Womanhood and "Sexiness"

Child pageants are meant to mimic adult women pageants in every way except for age x. This includes the phases (swimsuits, evening dress, interview) and the manner in which they wear their clothes. These children are showcasing themselves as women, and these pageants do not exist without women being sexy. Therefore, these young girls only know that in order to be a woman, they must be sexy x. How do you become sexy? Showing skin, being provocative, being competitive. These young girls are growing up believing they will only become woman once they do these things. This plays into gender conforming behavior as well, as it becomes a subconscious belief that womanhood = femininity, sexuality, appearance, servitude x.

These pageants mimic adult women pageants which many people have criticized for the provocative nature. By having young girls compete in these pageants, which require provocative acceptance, adults are teaching their girls to behave and participates in the behaviors of provocativeness x.

Consequences

In reports of children being sexually abused, research shows that the sexualization of children is a contributing factor to their abuse. Also, if a child is winning constantly in a competition that is based primarily on their looks, they are more likely to develop psychological issues later on in life, such as depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. There is also a link to lowered sexual efficacy and contraceptive use later in life. x

The sexualization child in these pageants are directly related to the sexual abuse they face. These people can be judges, parents, assistants, and watchers. Imagine you're a famous child pageant winner, sooner or later, adult fans are going to try and meet you. What's the likelihood of 100% of these people having your best intentions to heart? Low. These children grow up in a provocative and hyper sexualized state, they are going to grow up and be hypersexual in order to achieve womanhood, including a lowered chance of wearing contraceptives.

The psychological problems related to perceptions of the self are long lasting and carry onto adolescence and adulthood due to the hyper fixation on their physical appearance at an early age. The implications regarding the achievement of "perfection" and the perception of body image that have been taught to these them remain engrained in the way they view themselves long after they retire from pageant competitions and transition into adulthood. x

Does this all sound familiar?

"I could never lose the weight after you were born! And look at the veins in my bosom, they're like a roadmap of Stockholm!"

Serveta is a victim of child sexualization and grooming.

Canon Information on Serveta

Past

So what do we know of Serveta? Well, one thing we know is that Serveta is Miss Sweden of 1956. That's basically all we know of her past, other than her promiscuity. There are a few pieces of her present that should also be acknowledged before we continue.

Present

Something I want to highlight are the pictures inside Serveta's home.

These images consist of one thing; herself. In these two frames alone, all of the picture but one are of Serveta. There is one lone picture of Skwisgaar as a child (which we also see during the flashback of this episode by the front door.) but the rest are of Serveta. Take note that most of these photos are also a young Serveta, thought there is arguably some photos of her in her older age. Specially the side profile picture above the lamp and the one long photo above little Skwisgaar.

Out of all the things to decorate her house with, and it's with herself. Her younger self. Serveta is surrounding herself with images of her former self, in a body that she no longer has. She is obsessing over the looks she once possessed during her pageantry years. The same goes for her clothing options.

Serveta wears a long dress that shows cleavage, is form fitting, and has a split up the leg. She is refusing to let go of her past teachings in pageantry of what it means to be a woman, which is to be sexy. Even after all of these years, Serveta is still suffering from her days in the pageantry world.

Theory

Serveta was a young and upcoming pageantry winner. She spent a god chunk of her life in the pageantry world, winning awards and titles, until finally competing in Miss Sweden, which she won. Serveta had every intention of competing for Miss Universe, however, due to her exposure in the pageantry world (Hyper-sexualization, grooming, gender conforming) Serveta had become pregnant. In a Skwisgaar interview, he reveals that his mother liked guitar players. Serveta was attracted toward men who were completely opposite of the world she grew up in. Her promiscuity was manufactured from an unsafe childhood in the pageantry world. Her pregnancy however, disqualified her from competing in Miss Universe (and other high end pageants), thus resulting in all of her work, pain, and world being in shattered. In turn, Serveta relied on the one thing she did have, which was her body and her looks. Her own trauma translated into neglecting Skwisgaar and Skwisgaar's own sexual abuse. However, Serveta was aware of Skwisgaar's talent once he acquired his guitar and knew she had to nurture it till fruition, just like how Serveta's own parental figure did to her.

______________________________________________________________

That's all for this theory. Be sure to reply or repost with your own thoughts on it. I would love to hear about :)

[eqt-95]

day 3 | dress / set up for failure

supercorptober / whumptober quinn's superwhumpcorptober master list Lena stared at the dress: a once cutting shape that drew the hungry attention of her wife now a crumpled mess, discarded and replaced with soft sweats and an overworn sweatshirt pulled from a hastily-packed suitcase. What it lacked in pageantry it made up for as a lone comfort in an otherwise sterile suite. 

A bedside lamp illuminated the eggshell walls, maroon-dyed nylon carpeting, and a faded duvet that concealed a mattress with the softness of Lillian Luthor. It wasn’t home, but perhaps that was because Lena didn’t know what that was anymore.

A terrace breeze kept her company. It had arrived by force and was left by accident: a readied fight that angrily burst it open only for the fight to retreat dejectedly back into the night. Lena hadn’t considered closing the door. Perhaps it was the last ember of a fading hope that kept it ajar.

Work drew her to the scrunched workspace crammed under the mounted television and next to the room service menus and telephone. There was no deadline; no urgency behind the late night focus, but it was monotonous and distracting which remedied the one thought spinning on repeat: it had all been inevitable.

Because Luthors weren't meant to be happy. 

Lena had bitten back a laugh when Lex told her his first summer after college.

“It’s true,” he continued, swinging a tennis racket with a casualness unbefitting such conversation. Lena huffed after a missed ball. “Call it fate. Call it a curse. Hell, call it superstition, but when you boil a Luthor down, that’s the concentrated essence: unhappiness.”

That they were billionaires with international clout made no difference to Lex. 

“Money can’t buy happiness, sis. Take dad: he was so miserable he went all the way to Ireland to find an ounce of joy. Now look at him: barricaded in his office, reeking of scotch and anger.”

Lena called it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It explained the cloud; the foreboding; the distraction of knowing somewhere a shoe hung from a fraying rope.

“It’s what makes us so calculated,” Lex had offered after he’d won their match. “Without it we’d just be another failure.”

Even Lillian’s parenting mantra echoed it: “Always prepared, never surprised.” 

Lena was nothing if not a sponge, and so the words soaked in. They resonated when Lionel drank himself to death. They rang louder when Lex was driven into madness. They rooted themselves into the very marrow of her bones when her personal life began reflecting her father’s: obsessive and lonely.

Until a light brighter than the sun came into her life. 

For that she could not have prepared; for that she didn't want to.

And perhaps that’s what had made it all inevitable. Perhaps that’s why, now, alone again, she wasn’t that surprised.

- - - - day 4 | garden / hallucinations

[sarucane]

OFMD Spiral Narrative 47: What Would Jeff Do?

Intro: What I love most about how season 2 builds on season 1 of OFMD is the spiral narrative structure. Ground is repeatedly and explicitly re-trod from season 1 to season 2, but in season 2 everything goes deeper than season 1. Meanings are shuffled, emotions are stronger and truer, and transformation is showcased above everything. The first season plucks certain notes, then the second season plucks the same ones--but louder, and then it weaves them together to create a symphony.

---

Ed identifies himself as "Jeff" twice in the series, once in each season. In the first season, the name--and the personality that goes with it--is essentially a throwaway, a casual lie as Ed reaches for a childhood fantasy. But using that name also gives Ed an excuse to disconnect from himself, from his own fears and insecurities. When the name reappears in season 2, he's no longer strong enough internally to maintain that dissonance. But then a funny thing happens: by the end of the series, Ed absorbs "Jeff" into his everyday self, as he sets out on a new chapter in his life.

The first time Ed mentions "Jeff," it's when he's attending a fancy party with Stede. The implication is that he's been fantasizing about something like this ever since he was a child--but his reasons for choosing his name and profession here are shallow.

The joke, of coure, is that Ed, who's lived a mad life, would find this mundane name and dull job "exotic." And even then, he doesn't really know how to reach for a different life. His reaction to experiencing fear at the party is to project his own everyday methods of survival onto "Jeff."

Not only that, but he then proceeds to tell stories as himself, but pretending to be "Jeff."

The only reason the "Jeff" persona survives this is that people think he's telling tales. The division between "Ed" and "Jeff" is broken in Ed's mind, but to these people Ed doesn't really exist. This might look like a kind of integration, but it's not. It's all about pageantry, and the ideas people are projecting onto Ed.

By the end of the night, Ed's not even being called "Jeff" anymore. They've given him a new cruel nickname.

The "Jeff" identity fails to give Ed any safety in this unfamiliar setting, and he almost immediately loses control of its meaning.

In season 2, Ed resurrects Jeff, complete with a new title: innkeeper.

On the one hand, this actually immediately signals how Ed's matured since the first time he called himself "Jeff." He chose accounting because the word sounded good, but he demonstrates having actually thought about innkeeping and why he'd like it.

Accounting was just a word to Ed, but innkeeping is something he can draw on his own experience to understand (kinda), translating it into terms that are relevant to his life.

That said, Ed still demonstrates a level of removal from the situation. He doesn't really believe at this point that he could have a life like "Jeff the Innkeeper" (just like he feared he couldn't have a life like Jeff the Accountant).

And he immediately attacks himself for thinking he could have a life like this. Hornigold is Ed: when Hornigold sneers at the idea that Ed could become something other than a pirate, that's Ed sneering at himself.

But then the seasons diverge. In season 1, Ed never mentioned Jeff or accounting again. In fact, he never restarts his lessons on "the ways of an aristocrat" again, abandoning the dream for the shallow thing it is. Because he doesn't want it anymore. He wants something else.

The meaning of that scrap of silk he carried used to be that he'd always long for something fine he could never have; now there's someone in front of him who thinks he's "fine" himself. He doesn't need to long for more, he has more.

In season 2, Ed also never mentions Jeff again. But he does mention becoming an innkeeper again.

Not only that, he expands the idea of innkeeping to include Stede.

In season 1, Jeff was a version of Ed who had all of the benefits of piracy (determination, good stories), but none of the drawbacks; a version of Ed who was worthy of all the things Ed feared he was unworthy of. An innocent, childhood fantasy.

In season 2, Jeff is gone. There's just Ed, who is no longer trying to reconcile dissonant versions of himself, who is putting aside piracy to try to grow in different ways. A version of Ed who is adult, and flawed--and loved.

[zedxspacess]

MJF is going to CMLL to defend the international championship before guys like PAC, Rey Fenix, Orange Cassidy, or Ospreay got to do it…

All wrestlers who held the title and in-ring styles fit lucha libre better than MJF’s…

dgmw I’m happy he’s getting the opportunity and he’s a good wrestler with experience in Mexico, but the Rush and Hechicero matches were just alright? I guess they’re going for high drawing power+entertainment value, Max will get a lot of heat and the crowd atmosphere of Arena Mexico fits him. Prob an entertaining match but nothing too exciting in-ring. I guess if anything, the presentation/pageantry of lucha libre fits Max more than the in ring stuff

Also it’s interesting for all the posturing the MJF character does about not caring for wrestling in other countries, he sure does love working with lucha libre guys when he does get the chances to work intl wrestlers; prob a glimpse of what the real guy’s taste is in wrestling

But ngl, this partnership with CMLL is going crazy between them getting MJF, Jericho, Bryan Danielson+BCC, Willow Nightingale, Kyle Fletcher, and Death Triangle, and potentially more. I hope Ospreay gets to go there if he wins the belt back from Max. I was surprised he didn’t get to defend the belt in other places like CMLL or that Uganda promotion before losing to Max but there’s future chances I guess

[justhowmuchiloveit]

Pageant Recap!

This week I'm recapping my incredible week in Maine, competing for the title of International Woman of Service!

[windienine]

ugh soulsov on the brain again. spoiler-laden ramble time.

-

i think my favorite part of the game's story overall so far is the really clear dynamic between "person who passively lets himself die" and "person who really, desperately, actively yearns to be alive"

that yearning is ysmé's core character trait. all of her really jarring traits-- the lies, the pageantry, the honest and open disdain for everything about the mosaic-- it's because she desperately wants something better for herself. when she's asked if she's here to save the world, the "yes" that comes out of her isn't mocking or trying to get the moment over with. she wants to save it! the mosaic isn't in imminent danger, but it's rotten from the inside and it makes her angry and desperate enough that she'd do anything to change it!

loïc has a lot of that exact same disdain, just... quieter, kept to a few polite words or his internal monologue. he doesn't like living in a rigid theocracy, and even before things with lia escalated to the point they did the game makes a point that he is not a practicing religious guy, he saw the beating heart of what the mosaic lives on and thinks it sucks.

the difference is that loïc's honest response to this is "the world is a terrible place (though i won't say that openly, it might discourage somebody) and i hope i can make it a bit better-- for somebody, for anybody, for you-- before everything eventually crashes down."

and ysmé's is "fuck you. fuck this. fuck the Church, fuck the tower, everything has to change and if that means setting everything that makes this world recognizable on fire and building something better out of the smoldering ashes then i will be all the happier for it."

loïc lived pretty comfortably in polite society for most of his life until losing his kid made him abruptly fuck off to nowheresville in search of a cure (or, rather, to carve himself up to give to people piece by piece until there was nothing left to lose, yay suicidal tendencies) and whatever the hell is up with ysmé she doesn't even have a surname. girl's a wanted criminal who has gone total scorched earth on everything, even if she hasn't held that status for very long.

and you can't really have positive change unless you have a little of both of these attitudes. loïc's got this understanding that people are worthwhile just because they're people and violence should be avoided whenever possible, and ysmé has a powerful will and an ability to imagine a future where things are better (even if only for her/by her standards.) i want to learn more about what she actually wants out of freedom as a concept. (girl, why are you wanted by the Church? what HAPPENED to you?) the two of them already have a lot to learn from and gain from existing around one another, in terms of compassion and drive, respectively.

alternatively, because things will inevitably get worse with these two before they get better, ysmé fully has the potential to force her (often impersonal and cruel) worldview onto loïc and force him to bloody his hands when the going gets tough, and loïc can sit back and let it happen with a smile on his face because inaction is so much less painful than taking the reins and making his own decisions that will inevitably accomplish nothing and go nowhere like they have for months now. besides, he's already committed to helping her. what's he going to do if she goes too far and actually kills someone this time? decide helping her was meaningless, too?

the prelude's narrative needs you to be in loïc's head, hearing his thoughts, and generally sharing a good deal of his ideas for most of its runtime, but i feel like that's going to change in future chapters as we see more of ysmé's past and perspective.

[glass-needles-and-futurisms]

I keep thinking back to Muse playing Survival at the closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, and I keep saying that one of these days I'm just gonna spew all my feelings about how it's not just one of my all-time favorite Muse moments, but also a hilarious, if perhaps unintentional, moment of social commentary.

I still remember our postgrad professor showing those same closing ceremonies in class, explaining the not-so-subtle propagandistic purpose the entire spectacle served on the global stage. (For those who don't know, the 2012 Olympics closing ceremonies were essentially a three-hour star-studded tribute to UK music and pop culture.)

Picture this: you just sat through about two hours of the UK's various national exports - One Direction, the Spice Girls, the Pet Shop Boys, George Michael, Ed Sheeran, Annie Lennox, erm, Russell Brand. You've just seen live performances of Bohemian Rhapsody, Imagine, Wonderwall, and Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, alongside tributes to David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. And you still have Queen, Take That and The Who to go after this.

Interestingly, that class glossed over what an afterthought the Muse performance felt like by comparison. You could argue a lot of extenuating circumstances: the controversial reception of Survival as the official London Olympics theme song, the infamous NBC debacle where it inadvertently got cut from the US broadcast of the ceremonies, or the simple fact that this far into the festivities, a fairly straightforward stage performance* by a band with slightly less name recognition than Coldplay was pretty underwhelming.

* Not sure if this is common knowledge, but apparently this performance was mostly playback with the exception of Matt's vocals. Which also makes this an underappreciated entry in the annals of Muse miming shenanigans.

But something becomes very apparent once you actually reach this part of the show: Survival is fucking bananas. I'll never forget that one internet commenter calling it the world's most epic villain song that doesn't know it's a villain song. I mean, just look at the lyrics:

Life's a race / and I am gonna win

And I'll light the fuse / and I'll never lose

And I choose to survive / whatever it takes

You won't pull ahead / I'll keep up the pace

And I'll reveal my strength / to the whole human race

This is how the song starts! You can sort of see the logic behind making it the Olympics theme song. And then it gets weirder from there:

Yes, I am prepared / to stay alive

I won't forgive / the vengeance is mine

And I won't give in / because I choose to thrive

Yeah, I'm gonna wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin

Good grief. No wonder it's called "Survival". The song makes slightly more sense in the thematic context of The 2nd Law, the album it was released on. But on its own it's just.... yeah.

And this performance ramps up the insanity even more by just taking the piss. Between Matt Bellamy peacocking in a sparkly suit and Union Jack t-shirt, the batshit guitar solo, the pyro, the backing choir, and the fact that everything onstage (including the grand piano) is pretty much just for show (and wobbling like mad), Survival feels cheesy and irreverent in a way that makes you suddenly hyper-conscious of how tightly orchestrated everything else you just saw (including the Monty Python and Mr. Bean stuff) was. Remember that this was all broadcast to an international audience of millions.

Pairing the sheer pageantry of the ceremonies thus far with the actual lyrics of Survival kinda puts everything in an uncomfortable new light. Then it dawns on you that you pretty much just watched an accidental three-hour love letter to British imperialism. (Okay maybe that's overselling it a bit but it's still pretty funny.)

[thetzar]

⏝꒷۰꒷⏝꒷۰꒷⏝꒷۰꒷⏝

Farhana Nariswari ❒

Miss International 2023 (26.10.23)

Beautiful Dress from Topan Sapta ❒

Miss International Indonesia 2023

[alarici]

ok so like what if Near is the one that Always Wins but Mello’s also there as The Spare and they’re competing in an individual, subjectively judged sport (it’s rhythmic gymnastics) and this of course kind of shifts the dynamic ever so slightly because ribbon twirling is not international crime

And Mello’s inferiority complex is both essential and intrinsic but also a thing of an external voice (the Coach and the Results) and there’s years of back and forth in medal standings but Near always wins the major things

and they terrorize each other in the way only teenage girls in a sport that is nothing but aesthetics and pageantry (but also a thing of national pride and personal survival).

they’re still whip smart of course and definitely like the DSM’s favorite little sock puppets but that’s not what this is about

you’re chasing someone who’s been good all their life and has all life’s blessings and is the best at the thing you Need to be the best at (and you know if hurts them but it Hurts Your Too)

So the Olympics roll around after four years of this shit and since only 2 are allowed on the national team in the individual event Guess What

maybe they’ve ended up at different coaches by then but during the Olympics they have to practice together and stretch together and sleep (in the same room/bed/lol) together and

They say after the Olympics some of those girls in the real world (cough Irina Viner’s stars) had to get surgeries to fix all their healed-wrong bones or do whatever you have to do to unstarve your organs

anyway this is my femslash meronia proposal & in order to fix the sins of akg (wtf is even going on in there?) there will be no grand plot just yuri

[celebrity-styleinfluence]

LANCE RAYMUNDO BECOMES FIRST FILIPINO TO HOST MISS UNIVERSE INDIA | CAPTIVATES MILLIONS WITH CHARM AND STYLE

Rhea Singha| MISS UNIVERSE INDIA 2024

Rhea Singha| MISS UNIVERSE INDIA 2024MISS UNIVERSE INDIA 2024  CORONATION NIGHTwas held at Zee Studios in Jaipur, a spectacular showcase of talent, beauty, & empowerment.  Among 51 finalists, Rhea Singha, a 19-year-old model from Gujarat, claimed the prestigious title of Miss Universe India 2024.  Her charm, intelligence, and advocacy for social change, through her initiative Work Ready with Rhea, helped her secure the crown. 

She will now represent India at the Miss Universe 2024 competition in Mexico on November 16, 2024.                                     

RHEA SINGHA | MISS UNIVERSE INDIA 2024 & LANCE RAYMUNDO

ONE of the most notable aspects of the event was the historic debut of Filipino actor and celebrity host Lance Raymundo, who became the first Filipino to co-host the Miss Universe India pageant. Lance, known for his magnetic stage presence and deep experience in the entertainment industry, brought an international flair to the night. His seamless hosting skills, confidence, and charisma left a lasting impression on the audience. Lance’s presence at such a prestigious event marks an important moment in global pageantry, reflecting the growing inclusivity and cross-cultural connections in beauty competitions.

Ngo Ngoc Gia Han from Vietnam who won | Miss Teen International 2022, co-hosted the event alongside Lance. Her grace and poise perfectly complemented Lance's energy, making them a dynamic duo on stage. Together, they created an electric atmosphere, guiding the evening’s events with professionalism and style. 

Adding to the glamour of the night was Urvashi Rautela, the only person in Indian history to win Miss Universe India twice. As a member of the jury, Urvashi, alongside Nikhil Anand, founder and chairman of the Glamanand Group, crowned the new queen, Rhea Singha. Under Anand's leadership, the Glamanand Group has redefined Indian pageantry by promoting diversity and empowerment, and this year's competition reflected that commitment.

URVASHI RAUTEL

NIKHIL ANAND

This grand event, broadcast live on YouTube, reached millions of viewers worldwide. With Rhea’s crowning and Lance’s remarkable debut as a host, the spotlight now turns to Miss Universe 2024, where India will shine on the global stage.