Note from BW of Brazil: OK, allow me to make a prediction. With the recent news that two more black women have won the right to represent their states in the 2016 Miss Brasil competition, I believe this year an Afro-Brazilian woman will become the first black woman to win the competition in 30 years, and only the second since the competition began in 1954. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, but if you analyze the contestants over the past 60 years, you would see why I’ve come to this conclusion. It’s not that I’m being pessimistic when I say this, or that a black woman doesn’t deserve to win the contest, I’m simply looking at the political slant that always plays a role in such events.
For the past few decades, black women’s organizations have been at the forefront of bringing issues of black women and the black population in general further into the political forum, but in recent years, with the rise of social networks/media, the voices of these organizations as well as individual black women activists have given voice and put a face on these demands like never before.
Just since BW of Brazil appeared on the blog-o-sphere, we’ve covered a number of high profile events, campaigns and protests organized and/or led by black women that the press simply couldn’t ignore. We heard their voices loud and clear in protest against the controversial TV series Sexo e as Negas. We saw them stand up against an offensive advertisement that played on negative views of black women’s natural hair. We’ve seen them take to the streets in protest against racism and sexism. These are just a few of the protests covered on this blog that ultimately culminated in the first ever March of Black Women held in the nation’s capital last November.
To be clear, I don’t see any victory in a beauty contest as a sign that things are really changing, for the power structure is very cunning, devious and manipulative. If a black woman were to win the crown in October, I’m more apt to believe it to be simply a manner of the system being able to proclaim, “See, there’s no racism; a black woman won the Miss Brasil this year!” Of course, one victory doesn’t address the fact that in the previous 60 years, only one black woman won during that whole period. Nor will it address the fact that women given prominence in Brazil’s mainstream media are overwhelmingly white. It won’t change the fact that white women will continue to be seen as a trophy. But a victory will show that the activism of black women is on the radar, even if in superficial manner.
With about a month to go before the 2016 Miss Brasil competition, it will be intriguing to see how this plays out. Just remember, if a mulher negra brasileira (black Brazilian woman) wins this year, you read the prediction here first!
Miss Espírito Santo and Miss Rondônia were elected. And they are black!
By Solange Reis
The states of Espírito Santo and Rondônia have two beautiful black women that will represent them in the 59th Miss Brasil competition in October, in the city of São Paulo.
Beatriz Leite Nalli, an 18-year old model, was elected Tuesday, September 6th and is already accustomed to beauty contests: she was Miss Espírito Santo Mirim (contest for young girls), at age 11, and Rainha do Sul Capixaba (Queen of the Sul Capixaba) at 16.
And Mariana Theol Denny won the Miss Rondônia competition last Friday, September 9th
Along with Beatriz and Mariana, four other black beauty queens will compete for track Miss Brasil 2016. They are:
Miss Bahia – Victoria Esteves
Miss Maranhão – Deise D’anne
Miss Paraná – Raíssa Santana
Miss São Paulo – Sabrina de Paiva
Source: Todos Negros do Mundo
Essa miss Espirito Santo e belissima