The Second Wave of Feminism focused on the objectification of women’s bodies. Germaine Greer said, “whenever we treat women’s bodies as aesthetic objects without function we deform them and their owners”. Feminists believed that beauty contests portrayed women as sexual objects. Feminists viewed beauty contests as degrading and sexist because they were primarily based on a woman’s looks and body shape. Feminists dismissed suggestions that contests were about confidence building. To be eligible for the Miss Canterbury contest women must be available and desirable. Beauty contests assume that it is both valid and sensible to parade women, stare at them and place them in an order based on their genetics deciding that one inherited face and figure is superior to another. There were a number of public demonstrations in the 1970’s against beauty pageants. In one a women’s liberation group staged a beauty contest spoof in Christchurch’s Cathedral Square at lunchtime: “The ‘Male Meat Market’ featured several male supporters of Women’s Liberation, who minced around in special clothing, confessed to being interested in sewing, running a boutique and travel, and endured patronizing comments from the female compere before being judged on their figures and presentation”. There were street marches in which participants dressed as Victorian women pushing 20th century prams and brandishing banners proudly declaring “Liberate my mother” and “24 hour child care!”. In 1972, the Miss New Zealand contested returned to Dunedin. 70 women from the Dunedin Collective for Women with banners proclaiming “Welcome to the Sexploitation Show”, while members of the Dunedin Collective for Women picketed the final of the 1972 Miss New Zealand contest. Meanwhile inside Sir Roy Jack criticized all the longhaired demonstrators as he made the Miss New Zealand presentation, and praised the “charm and femininity of the contestants”. Collective member Jocelyn Harris defended the protestors saying, “The Miss New Zealand contest has obvious delights for men; for women it only serves to create a totally unjustified dissatisfaction with themselves”. However Joe Brown’s attitude towards those who charged him with turning women into sex objects was dismissive “I have been critisised for exploiting women, but I believe I have been liberating them for years”. The above photo is of the Miss Wellington Contest in 1970, the concert organiser Tom McDonald shows his leg in response.
The Women's Movement created a social shift in the objectification of women. The Miss New Zealand contents, still remained popular it was accepted that competing “girls must have poise, charm and a measure of brains”. Despite protests by feminist groups there was little shift in this attitude women still paraded in bathing suits, to show their assets. Organiser Jonathon Foley argued: “I’ve tossed and turned over the question of exploitation, but what we’re doing isn’t like that. I’ll be damned if it is… it is now an opportunity to gain a foothold in the world of modeling… You realise how much confidence they had gained in themselves”. Earlier in the Miss New Zealand show had been the quest for Mrs New Zealand. The 1970 winner described herself as very average but to the Woman’s Weekly she was “very gay and fun loving, with a ready smile, who plays tennis, loves to entertain and is a member of a creative dance group…. She’s a natural beauty with rosy hued olive complexion, jet black hair and dark hazel eyes that rarely twinkle as bright as when she is playing with the children”. Obviously Woman’s Weekly have a way to make words exaggerated! Mrs New Zealand was combined with Miss New Zealand’s beauty and charm with the abilities of a housewife, hostess and mother. However since Miss and Mrs New Zealand there have been other competitions such as the establishment in 1982 of the Media Woman of the Year Award, to give an acceptable alternative to the Miss New Zealand Show. Although it didn’t have the ratings that the Miss and Mrs New Zealand had, it still created a lot of hype.
The Second Wave of Feminism has resulted in the sharp fall in public and media interest in and enthusiasm for today's beauty contests. Miss New Zealand is no longer televised live. The Women's Liberation protested at the time when the ratings of the beauty contests were high; however the arguments put forward by the Women's Liberation influenced the public's perception of beauty contests. By late 1980's beauty contests were no longer televised and didn't have the standing they did. In 1989 Miss New Zealand Helen Rowney described herself as ‘Miss Anonymous’. Miss Universe New Zealand was televised for the last time in 1989 and Miss New Zealand in 1992 due to the lack of media interest and lack of sponsorship money.
As a result of the Second Wave of Feminism, the image of an ideal woman had changed. Finding the ideal woman wasn't as important anymore being virtually unheard on in New Zealand society. This was a short term effect of the Second Wave of Feminism for New Zealand people as the social roles shifted, however they have had a significant effect on our society as women continue to e viewed by most as socially equal to men.
http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/38690/miss-new-zealand-1973- Video Link to Miss New Zealand 1973
The women were shown provocatively in high platform shoes and a bathing suit. The Woman's Liberation viewed the Miss New Zealand 1973 and all beauty contests as degrading and sexist, due to the basis of the winner being based on their appearance and body rather than all round- ability.