A new pageant queen has been crowned, and a wild row has erupted across social media.
If you’ve ever seen Sandra Bullock’s Miss Congeniality or 1999’s Drop Dead Gorgeous, then you’ll already be familiar with the concept of a beauty pageant.
If not, then the latter is a competition which traditionally focuses on judging the physical attributes of various female contestants.
Last year, we saw Melisa Raouf make history by becoming the first-ever Miss England to compete without wearing makeup.
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And in 2023, it is the turn of a Miss France competitor to change the tides.
On Saturday evening, Eve Gilles was representing Nord-Pas-de-Calais, the northernmost region of France, in the 94th edition of the competition.
At the Zénith de Dijon, the 20-year-old was sporting a pixie haircut when she was crowned the winner in front of 7.5 million TV viewers.
After being awarded her sash by previous Miss France star Indira Ampiot, the new monarch delivered some defiant words on modern beauty standards.
The victor said: “We're used to seeing beautiful Misses with long hair, but I chose an androgynous look with short hair.
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“No one should dictate who you are,” she explained before claiming that every ‘woman is different and unique’.
Eve is the first contestant in the history of the pageant to win without having a long hairstyle.
However, her chosen style has received backlash from some pageant viewers.
Many disgruntled fans have taken to social media to blast the Miss France 2024 winner for flouting the contest’s norms of feminine beauty.
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One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: “This is a chap I’d stake money on it.”
A second said: “Miss France winner calls her short hair a victory for 'diversity'. WHY, THERE AS BEEN SHORT HAIR STYLES IN FASHION MAYBE SINCE TIME BEGAN… Attention-seeking lefty again.”
“The winner of Miss France has a bloke hair cut, yet other contestants were far better looking. The winner is also woke. Yuk,” said a third.
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However, not everyone agrees that Eve should be receiving backlash.
One X user said: “Miss France 2024 got bullied and French people calling her a man just because she has short hair???? I thought France is a progressive country.”
A second wrote: “I need y'all to realise the whole population of France is shook rn bc their new Miss France has short hair, and that's deemed ‘too manly’. LOOK AT HER.”
“This woman is stunning. Why does it matter she has short hair? It’s 2023 the Judges made the right decision,” said a third.
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Another commented: “For me, girls with short hair are extremely unique and strong.”
A fifth commented: “These competitions are nonsense anyway, but are we suggesting that a woman with short hair can't win and it's 'woke' that she's got short hair, in the great scheme of current events, it's a bit ridiculous.
“I think her hair is magnificent.”
Regardless of the varying opinions, Eve is set to embark on a life of luxury.
During her reign, she will reside rent-free in a Paris apartment, receive a tidy monthly salary, and is expected to sign various sponsorship deals.
Not too bad, right?
Featured Image Credit: ARNAUD FINISTRE/AFP via Getty ImagesTopics: Beauty, Make-Up, Social media