SINGAPORE: Sitting around a group of newspapers and magazines, these Singapore female university students are angry at the depiction of women in their society. For them, it is part of the ongoing problem that has seen sex scandal after another appear in the headlines. “Look at the pictures,” began Susan Chen, a 20-year-old political science student at the National University of Singapore. “Do you think men will think that women should be empowered when they just see basically naked women all over,” she told Bikyamasr.com. For these students, the most recent battle for “Race Queen” at the CATS Classified Car-nival 2012 is the last “straw,” as they said. “We are fed up with this objectification of women in Singapore and across Southeast Asia,” said Mary Yussif, a half-Malay half-Chinese Singaporean 21-year-old in the same department at the university. “Singapore and Asia is obsessed with sex, but yet every time a scandal appears, we get angry and shocked, but we shouldn't because you just look at the contests and other processes that make women objects based on their bodies,” the former youth beauty pageant contestant argued. “I've been there, I know what happens. We have to be sexy to get a better position in this society.” They argued that the recent debate over the Miss Singapore pageant was telling. “The girl who won was not as tall as the others and this sparked controversy. Why? Because it is believed that short women are not as beautiful,” added Yussif. For Chen, the battle over women's rights starts at home, and with other young women who understand the future of Singapore's society begins with changing perceptions. “Do we want to have contests where women wear as little as possible to impress male judges? I don't know. I am not saying that we shouldn't be sexy and attractive, but we have to have more power to become leaders, politically and economically,” she added. The highlight last week in the controversy surrounding women's rights and empowerment was the Miss Singapore World issue, which left many women frustrated over the commentary surrounding 19-year-old Karisa Sukamato's victory at Miss Singapore World concerning her height. Women in Singapore told Bikyamasr.com that the criticism over the event is “unwarranted" and “should be silenced immediately." The controversy began after the judges delayed announcing the victor, retreating twice into a private room to deliberate on choosing a winner. “It just is ridiculous to think that people are angry over the girl's height," said businesswoman Claire Umpah in Singapore. “We are not all tall in this city so come on and get with the program," she urged the media. Pageant organizer Raymund Ooi of Limelite Productions told The New Paper: “The judges couldn't decide and were going back and forth and back and forth in the room. “The problem was that it was a 50-50 split and while half thought that Michelle had the looks and poise, they felt that she had to work on the way she tackled questions. “Those who supported Karisa said she had the charm and personality, but was just lacking in height. “So it was a debate on whether language and answering skills could be honed and that height is something one can't change," he said. “But in the spirit of Miss Singapore World, where we don't have a height restriction, I told the judges just to look at the marks they scored for each girl, and the girl with the higher marks won." Still, local media has been up in arms over the choosing of the young girl, who by traditional pageant standards, is shorter than usual. But Singapore and Malaysia women say it gives other girls, who don't reach a “specific height" the belief that they can do it and participate in such competitions. “Let's be real about this. It is just a beauty contest and although we shouldn't put much weight on it, the fact is that Karissa's win shows that you don't have to be tall to win," Malaysian housewife Nermine told Bikyamaasr.com.
