analyzing beauty pageants
Move over Reese Witherspoon, there is a new regal blonde to take your place
The first ever Miss Earth Catharine Svensson precisely knew such things. As a Danish law student there is little stupefaction in our part when she calmly pointed out that there are laws in her native Denmark which is aimed in protecting the environment. It is not also a surprise that she has a quick mind and a calm demeanor. There is no plethora in her answers. They were direct, simple and well defined.
How come this Danish lass captured the very first Miss Earth crown? The opposition along the way seems to be too impossible for Catharine to breeze through easily. First there are formidable candidates which has already proven their worth namely Miss Kazakhstan Margarita Kravstova (Miss World 2000 finalist) and Miss Estonia Evelyn Mikomagi (Miss Universe 2000 finalist). Second there are more spectacular ladies like Natalia Botero of Colombia and Daniella Stucan of Argentina.
But Catharine is very easy to spot prior to the finals. She is so far the strongest delegate in the West European contingent. Long legged, shapely with blonde straight hair makes her a standout but subtly speaking, her face is not that ethereal or angelic compared to the other strong delegates. She is more mature and serious looking woman.
The crown couldn’t be much better than being placed in Catharine’s head. She wittingly used her knowledge on law in answering the final question. Her being Danish is also an edge. It has been known that Scandinavians have a high awareness on environmental issues and that battling pollution despite being progressive is a major concern in her small nation.
Although beauty pageants aren’t a big event in her country, her victory is something to rejoice for Danish people. She is the first woman from her country to win a major international title. In an interview she hopes that her victory will arouse the interests of her countrymen to beauty pageants. Among the northern European countries, Denmark has a lackluster performance. Sweden has the first Miss World with an array of winners in other pageants. Finland has the first Miss Universe with several winners at key pageants and has earned good attention at other major beauty contests while Norway has earned two Miss International crowns, a Miss Universe title and a sizable amount of Miss World finalists.
Denmark may have no queens but it isn’t way far down from the ranking list. It could boast four first runners-up one for each for Miss International and Miss Universe (Aino Korva in 1963) and two at Miss World (the first one was Lilian Madsen in 1957). Perhaps the most glorious year for Denmark was in 1986 when Pian Rosenberg Larsen finished as first runner-up at Miss International and Pia Larsen also finished as first princess at Miss World.
Catharine is a double first: the first Miss Earth and the first Danish to win a major crown. It’s something for a woman who knows whether destroying the environment is a mala en se or a mala prohibitum, worth to be proud of.
The 21-year old Danish lass actually came from a small town called Charlottenlund. She didn't receive any formal training and she was selected to represent Denmark without a national beauty contest.