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For immediate release JY&A
Media
Miss Universe New Zealand judge hits back at criticisms of contestant
Wellington and Auckland, May 2 (JY&A
Media) Pageant judge and Lucire publisher Jack Yan has
defended Miss Universe New Zealand second runner-up Rhonda Grant
after criticisms about a Massey University story from the Association
of University Staff.
‘It’s the usual story of pulling down someone
because of her looks or her success,’ he says. ‘I believe she’s
been singled out.
‘Journalistically, Miss Grant’s interview was
no different in quality to others that have appeared on the Massey
site.’
Miss Grant gave an interview to her Alma Mater,
Massey University. The Association’s national president Assoc Prof
Maureen Montgomery called the article ‘one of the most banal news
features emanating from a university this year’, and that it read
‘like the formulaic sort of thing that beauty queens are expected
to say when interviewed on the catwalk’, according to a New Zealand
Press Association article.
Mr Yan says pageantry is far removed from Dr Montgomery’s
suggestion.
‘I laugh when people assume that pageant contestants
answer easy questions, showing that they are so very ignorant of
the interview process or even basic inquiry.
‘Formulaic answers are rejected,’ he claims, ‘and
they are certainly not expected.’
Mr Yan recalls that questions in the 2008 pageant,
held two weeks ago in Auckland, concerned everything from immigration
policy and globalization to the debate on genetics versus socialization.
‘They are not bimbos and they are not judged by
morons. We don’t prejudge these young women as harshly as the Association
has. I expected that someone of Dr Montgomery’s qualifications would
make a simple academic inquiry into the process before attacking
it.’
Mr Yan says that he has guest-lectured at various
universities and contributed to academic journals in Great Britain,
and that his fellow judges are well qualified in their areas of
expertise.
‘We can’t afford to send someone to Miss Universe
who cannot think on her feet or produces insubstantial answers.
‘For anyone to suggest that unintelligent women
enter pageants is an affront to the contestants.’
He admits that he has only read the criticisms
as reported in the NZPA piece as run in The New Zealand Herald
and that he does not have the full text.
‘Based on the Herald article, the message
that the Association is sending is that young men and women who
have good looks should not be fêted for their accomplishments,
which they worked hard for.’
He says he does not deny evidence that suggests
looks can contribute to one’s career but points out that on the
flip side, people like Miss Grant have to contend with being stereotyped
as vacuous.
‘Miss Grant is an able, bilingual young woman
with a science degree, running a nutrition business with a growing
number of contracts,’ he says.
Mr Yan believes that Massey University should
be proud to have such talent and entrepreneurship among its alumni.
He acknowledges that beauty pageant entrants run
the risk of objectification but he did not think this was an example.
A photo of Miss Grant in a bikini was removed
by Massey University in favour of a more conservative shot.
‘I can understand complaints about the earlier
photograph, but after it was changed, it still seems that the Association
can’t let the matter go,’ says Mr Yan.
‘While I cannot speak for Massey University, I
know earlier versions of web pages can go live, and I imagine what
we see now is the final one.
‘To me, this was a non-issue sparked by a single
image, and the Association is now grasping at whatever is left of
the article to cement its self-importance and to belittle Miss Grant’s
academic endeavours. That, to me, devalues the degree of any New
Zealand university graduate.’
Images
Images for this release may be downloaded at <http://jya.net/080501pr0.htm>.
About Lucire
Lucire, the global fashion magazine (www.lucire.com), started on the web in 1997. In October 2004, it became the first
magazine in its sector to extend its brand into a print magazine.
By May 2005, it became the first web magazine to spawn international
print editions. Lucire became the first fashion industry
partner of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP, www.unep.org).
It is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand and published by
Lucire LLC. For print edition information, see <http://www.lucire.net>.
Notes to editors
Lucire is a registered trade mark of Jack Yan & Associates and subject to protection in certain jurisdictions. The Miss Universe
logo is a registered trade mark of Miss Universe LP, LLLP. All other
trade marks are the properties of their respective owners and are
only used in a descriptive fashion without any intention to infringe.
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