These young women who represented their countries at the recent Miss Universe pageant are just that–young women. They can be expected to make foolish decisions that could hurt their careers, their country, their family and friends, and perhaps their children in the not too distant future. What was supposed to be T&T's time of pride and glory has taken an awkward twist. Where were Miss T&T Universe La Toya Woods' advisors in all of this? It's as if she had set out to say the opposite of what was expected of her, as some of her statements made in one of our local newspapers revealed. "What is important is that I am comfortable with this" (you should have been uncomfortable with this; this is not your personal venture).
"This is my body, I feel liberated doing this" (The body is the temple of the Spirit, on loan to us. Abuse of the wonderful gift of sexuality by public display of the body is not liberation and freedom; it is bondage to sin, which we all have to fight against.) "It was a great decision to have this shoot" (Time will reveal that it was not.) "Bad publicity is good publicity" –We can make good out of a bad situation, but no publicity is better than bad publicity.
Who is to blame?
Who is the misguided individual that came up with the idea to tactfully persuade these girls to pose topless? Are the owners of the Miss Universe Franchise behind this? What would be their motive after having tried so hard to elevate the standard of the show by way of association with charitable organisations and elevation of the talent and intelligence requirements? Why revert to the "meat market" stigma which many have fought so hard to discourage in beauty pageants? Every "negative," however cunningly presented, is a crack that will eventually open the floodgates if we do not think and reject. Don't be shocked when in the near future, your daughter goes to a function covered in body paint only because it's the "style" and so beautifully done.
What about Carnival? These young ambassadors have been blessed and privileged to represent their countries in front of billions of people worldwide. They are the role models that our children would look up to and want to emulate. They have a duty and a responsibility to act and carry themselves with poise and class, demonstrating the epitome of womanhood, striving towards excellence of body, mind and spirit. Our world, and more specifically, our country is being ravished by destructive ideologies, eroding the basic moral fiber that holds us together as a people.
The word of God is complete wisdom, yet we exchange it and instead embrace the words and actions of intelligent fools. None of us are without fault and sin; it is one thing to sin and admit it is wrong. However, when as a society we have become so indifferent, we begin to call "right" wrong and "wrong" right, and become part of the ignorance that rejects the word of God and all the wise ones throughout history, then it is time to do like Michael Jackson advised and take a look at the man in the mirror, asking him to change his ways. Sincere wishes of Peace and Love to you and yours. Dwight Gonsalves is a professional hairstylist/consultant in the beauty industry for more than 25 years.
