Beauty, pageants and fashion
published: Wednesday | August 2, 2006

The Editor, Sir:

The recent article by Gleaner writer Daviot Kelly, "On Beauty, Pageants and Fashion", caught my attention. While I respect the opinion of the writer, I found the arguments almost baseless. There are many (like myself) who adore beauty in every shape and form. Beauty of art and culture, beauty in fashion and people, beauty in architecture or music or fashion. What a wonderful diversion to the often stressful times we live in, to be able to acknowledge, appreciate and even 'value' (and, or judge) beauty. Beauty is life, it is soothing to the eye, it touches the soul. True beauty is really felt, far more than what is seen.

Beauty, is also very much commercial, a thriving multi million dollar industry, which exists, simply because people want it to exist. Beauty is therefore part of life and people are drawn to it, in so many different ways. Pageants for instance exist, only because people enjoy them, and participants see them as 'stepping stones' to even bigger things in life (i.e. opportunities and personal growth). And what's so wrong with that?

If you can't appreciate beauty or 'hate it' like Mr Kelly, whether its pageants or whatever, then stay away from it, but don't knock the culture or those drawn to it, solely on the basis of a personal narrow-minded perspective.

I am, etc.,

P. Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com

Ontario, Canada