Hi queens! In this blog post we are going to be talking about the value of a pageant prize package and why you deserve and need it. Let’s dive in.
I believe that when you are investing time, personal development, and money into achieving a goal that you should be getting a return on your investment, and that you should be receiving resources and support in return to continue to be the best that you can be. Not receiving a prize package from a pageant as the titleholder is like applying for a job where you are the face of the company but you are not getting a paycheck or receiving benefits. Not only are you working for free during your reign but the preparation that you have put into the pageant to win in the first place is not acknowledged.
As high value, educated, beautiful, resourceful, kind, women there is very little in life that we should be doing for free. We need to hold pageant systems accountable to a high standard of supporting, providing resources, and showing appreciation for queens during their reign, and the most evident way to receive that is through prize packages. Of course this is dependent upon what you have invested and what is expected of you as the titleholder, but when we are speaking of state, national, and international titles there is no excuse for titleholders to not have prize packages and benefits.
I have come across pageant sisters who are of a different school of thought and believe that service and representing the crown is first and foremost, and that women should simply be honored to have the title. They believe that prize packages are not a necessity. I challenge these women to take a closer look at their socioeconomic status. If you invest thousands upon thousands of dollars in wardrobe, lodging, coaching, and commit hours upon hours to your personal development and philanthropy work, and you win the title and you are okay with not receiving anything in return to continue to expand and bring awareness to who you are as a competitor, titleholder, and philanthropist, then you my dear are rich and can afford to simply compete for fun. Women like this already have the financial access and network to not need support or recognition from the system that they are representing.
And although this is great for women who married well, or a young woman who comes from a wealthy family, or women who make a lot of money or have access in their own right, it is not the case for every woman that competes in pageants. Women compete in pageants for many different reasons and one of those reasons is to receive the resources. You do the work, you win, you get the resources. In many countries pageantry is a way out of poverty and a stepping stone to success. It is an opportunity for women to access higher education, financial stability, an influential circle, and to work for brands and organizations without compromising their morals or their bodies. Being a Miss Philippines, Miss Argentina, Miss Spain, Miss South Africa, etc., will set you up for life and for whatever reason the standard is much lower in the states.
I absolutely believe in service and representing a pageant system to the best of your ability, but I also heavily believe in getting a return on my investment. When you give your best to achieve a specific goal and you are not given resources and support to maintain the goal, then you are working for free and you are not honoring your value as a woman. You deserve to represent an organization that will invest back into you as the titleholder after you have invested into them as a contestant. You have shown that you are worthy and now they need to maintain you. When you give up your crown you should be a better woman with more resources and an expanded advocacy, not stressed out because you were overworked and under-resourced. You deserve a prize package. You deserve a supportive and communicative board. You deserve to be showered with gifts.
You deserve to have access to influential people and organizations who can help you elevate your advocacy and the mission of the organization that you are representing. You deserve assistance with scheduling appearances. You deserve a wardrobe budget and so much more, queen. Anyone, especially women, can do and be anything when we have a great support system. No one can do anything great alone. Greatness and success grow in community environments and pageantry is no exception. It is ok for us as pageant girls to communicate our needs and desires in order to be great titleholders. You do not have to do it all on your own and you should not.
Pageant prize packages are necessary because they are rooted in community and partnerships, and all of us need healthy and impactful communities in order to be our best and do our best. I hope this blog post inspired you to expect more and give more. If you would like to watch the corresponding YouTube video to this blog post click the link below!
