Do beauty pageants still matter? Gen-Z redefines what beauty means today

Miss Universe 2025 will be held on November 21 in Thailand. Photo Courtesy: Official Instagram account of Miss Universe

With the Miss Universe pageant set to take place on November 21, in Thailand, conversations around beauty, representation, and empowerment are once again in the spotlight. Once seen as a global stage for confidence and glamour, beauty pageants now face questions about whether they truly reflect modern ideals of inclusivity and authenticity.

For Gen-Z, a generation shaped by social media, individuality, and self-awareness, the meaning of beauty is evolving fast. Confidence and purpose often outweigh conventionally 'perfect' looks. But opinions remain divided on whether pageants still serve as empowering spaces or outdated relics of another era.

Young voices across diverse fields - from fashion to psychology and the LGBTQ community tell mid-day what beauty and representation mean to them today.

Vedika Garje, 24, Fashion designer

I believe beauty pageants can still be powerful platforms where women empower other women. They go beyond physical beauty - offering a space to showcase talent, inspire others, and redefine what true beauty means. It's about confidence, purpose, and authenticity more than appearance. When women uplift each other through such platforms, it creates a ripple effect of inspiration and strength. True beauty shines brightest not through fabric or fashion, but through self-belief.

Sharvari Ayare, 24, Social media manager

I think beauty pageants are still relevant, but their meaning has changed over time. Today they are more about individuality confidence and social impact which makes them more inclusive than before, though there is still progress to be made. As a kid, I always dreamt of being in one, it represented confidence and the idea of being celebrated for who you are.

Aman Gajjewar, 26, Accounts controller

I will be honest, I do think beauty pageants are losing their relevance, maybe because it has become a weird beauty contest and has lost so much of what made it great. These contests are regressive, and surely the world needs to move on. I think the pageant industry needs to go back to being mostly owned, operated, and controlled by women because it is indeed a platform for women to be uplifted and carry a standard for all of them. We have entered an era where energy and originality matter more than aesthetic symmetry, people are craving depth, substance, and soul resonance, so it's not enough to just look beautiful, you have to really be it because the new currency is authenticity, and the new seduction is kindness.

Tanushree, 24, Counselling Psychologist

Beauty pageants aren't as relevant today, but what's replaced them is arguably more dangerous i.e. the constant stream of 'trends' on social media. From the 'Clean Girl aesthetic' and 'That Girl' trend to the 'Siren Eyes,' 'Face Symmetry,' and 'Glow Up' challenges, these create subtle, unspoken rules about what's considered attractive or desirable. People start measuring themselves against filters, and hyper-curated highlight reels without even realising it.
It's no longer about competing for a crown rather it's about chasing validation through likes and comparisons. Over time, this quiet, everyday competition can distort one's body image, lower self-worth, and make confidence feel conditional on how well you fit into someone else's version of beauty.

Yohann Jadhav, 20, student and painter-designer

Yes, I feel beauty pageants still matter today, since it's a platform for women to express themselves on an individual level which the fashion industry might not provide.
However, as an LGBTQ individual, I come from a thought process of diversity and inclusivity, and what I've been noticing for a while is an emerging trend that I call ‘tolerable inclusivity.' It's not a recognised term, but it's definitely something that has been going on in the beauty-related industry.
Tolerable inclusivity refers to showcasing representation of diverse social groups, ethnicities, and genders but in an unfair manner. People seem to have a ‘tolerability' of how much inclusivity can be shown.
For instance, a model on a runway show was presented as plus-size, but she still had a toned stomach and hourglass figure - an inauthentic representation of real plus-size beauty. Similarly, a Northeastern friend of mine was rejected by a beauty pageant casting team for ‘not looking Northeastern enough.' And, of course, the recent case of Mexican contestant Fátima Bosch being called ‘dumb' by a Korean organiser shows how racism still lingers in these spaces.
It's sad that we have so many conversations about inclusivity and diversity but still refuse to implement it in industries where it matters the most.

While some see pageants as evolving spaces for expression and advocacy, others believe their relevance is fading in an era that values authenticity over appearance. As Miss Universe 2025 approaches, one thing stands out clearly Gen Z's definition of beauty goes far beyond the crown.