In an interview with Model Guide Magazine the 22 year old Provincial Queen opened up about the “harsh criticism” models and her fellow pageant contestants are constantly being subjected to, as well as the misconceptions often made about the modelling industry in general.
“Zimbabwe has a lot of rough diamonds which need a lot of polishing but this hub of talent does not warm up to the idea of modeling since it is usually stereotyped as highly immoral when in actual fact, the modelling industry is just like any other industry which seeks to empower young women to reach their full potential. Most young girls lack self esteem as they don’t believe in themselves. This is highly contributed by the labels that are usually given to the modelling industry. Some girls who have the talent are unable to participate in modelling due to the rising rates of early marriages and teen pregnancies.
One misconception about modeling is that it
requires one to be super tall with a pretty face in order to have a successful career. This is simply not true. Anyone can be a model, all it requires is determination, persistence, motivation, a good attitude, a good head on your shoulders, support from those in the industry, and courage! There is a plethora of modelling genres for one to choose from,for example one can be
a Commercial model, print model, glamour model, promo model, spokesmodel, editorial model and the list goes on.
In pageantry, there are the stereotypes that a typical pageant queen is supposed to be
slim, slender with a perfect petite body and Light skinned. These are what people characterise as beautiful features. This is very wrong as models come in different shapes, heights, sizes and complexions giving rise to different kinds of pageantry genres.
Secondly, those women who compete for crowns are usually deemed as “airheads” or that they’re not educated . By winning the Miss Midlands show pageant, I was really able to show that a lot of women have so many backgrounds. We’re all so very unique and diverse in our own ways , so I’m so excited that I’m able to represent that, especially as a young academic with a brown complexion.
Rolenne Strauss Miss World South Africa 2014 is a good example of a well established Zimbabwean beauty queen who is educated…she is now a certified ,practising doctor showing that beauty queens aren’t exactly empty headed as what people say.
It is heartbreaking, how modelling is not taken seriously especially in our society where it has been strongly associated with immoral behavior as well as abuse of models.
I honestly won’t say I know the labour laws well, but I feel because the industry is one that is not fully recognised or understood, there is the potential for a lot of exploitation. Modeling is like any other profession and the majority of the models are women, I think they should be protected at their jobs by strict labour laws enforced by the government
The issue of blessers , sugar daddies and nudes is actually not because of modelling as an industry, rather it is about the society we grew up in which is being dominated by the western cultures. Modelling in Zimbabwe is shaped by our culture that’s why we have culture wear as a category in most local and even some regional beauty pageants. Since taking nudes isn’t part of our culture, it is not part of the modelling industry in Zimbabwe . It is a socially constructed belief that models are encouraged to hook up with blessers and sugar daddies and its not true because pageants are there to empower the girl child rather than exploit them, although we can not deny the fact that some pageant organisers do exploit models by not paying them at all and sometimes underpaying them from what they promise to give them upon winning .A situation which can be fixed by encouraging models to sign contracts before doing any modelling job for security.
I would say the lack of education on the topic brings about many of such misconceptions that shed a bad light on our Modelling industry. I came to learn about the work, and eventually respected modeling as my job, and not a hobby to win me favours or anything of that sort. On that note, I conducted myself in a very professional way.
Difficult as it may be to juggle my relatively new interest in modelling and a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and environmental studies at the Midlands State University , It is very Important that i use my time as Miss Midlands show to fight back against this negativity, and prove the naysayers wrong by showing that diversity is beautiful and everyone can be part of the modelling industry.Moreover ,society should accept the fact that women we come in all shapes, sizes, complexions and diverse educational backgrounds.
As we move into 2019.
I dream of a new Zimbabwe with a new mindset on the Modelling industry,
I take it upon myself to be one of the pioneers of change, i see it as my responsibility to educate the society to support and embrace modelling as a profession and a confidence building platform,
I intend to use this platform as a Queen as well as other different channels to reach out to as many people as possible including our parents and educate them that modelling especially pageant modelling isnt only about glitz and glamour like what people think. I want them to see beyond the stereotypes and misconceptions and realise that, It is about working with communities through beauty with a purpose projects that seek to assist communities and people. It is also about educating people on issues bedevilling our societies like Aids, early child marriages. It is also about being an advocate for women rights, being a role model to the youths as well as speaking about any other issue which brings down our progress as a country. So modelling goes beyond, beautiful dresses, crowns and sashes. It also encompasses hard work for the betterment of our communities.”
