The Miss Arab USA Pageant is a conservative beauty contest held in the USA for Arab communities.
Evidently copied from The Miss Arab World Pageant, The Miss Arab USA Pageant is not affiliated with any other pageants. The title holder is not expected to represent the USA in the first, but will instead represent the Arab community within the USA. Thus celebrating the Arab cultural heritage, the goal of this pageant is to select an ‘honorable’ Arab lady based on the beauty of her mind, community pride, education and talents. To note that there is no swimsuit competition, and head covers are accepted in this Pageant. Beauty of the mind maybe, but the winner is also chosen for her general elegance.
The Miss Arab USA Pageant held its first inaugural contest on November 6, 2010 at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler Arizona, and Jennifer Chahoud was crowned as the first ever Miss Arab USA.
The creation of Miss Arab USA was triggered by the highly publicized selection of Rima Fakih as Miss USA 2010 a few months earlier. She was the first Arab-American and Muslim to ever win the title.
Founded by Ashraf Elgamal, The Miss Arab USA Pageant is managed and produced by a non-profit organization headquartered in the State of Arizona, The Arab American Association (AAA). Despite the existence of sponsors, candidates for the Miss Arab USA are required to pay a non refundable 50$ for as initial application fees (even if they do not get selected), and 250$ final Pageant Registration Fees.
Interesting reviews regarding the Miss Arab USA Pageant :
Intellects from the Arab World have mocked the concept of this Pageant, postulating that while Arab countries are undergoing an extensive liberation movement (culture, arts, values etc.) striving to adopt a more universal approach to modern life, westerners of Arab descent are showing a clear regression. For years now, Sociologists have been warning of the identity crisis and conflict the 3rd generation of Arab immigrants is going through in Europe, Australia, and America. Most radicals are also said to come out of that very population. They have lost contact with their ‘roots’, and ignore the massive changes in behavior and references that have occurred in their native countries.
Another contradiction they highlighted to expose the hypocrisy of the Miss Arab USA Pageant, is the fact that it was held in a Casino! The purpose of this Pageant was also confusing, especially since Miss USA Rima made not only the Arab Americans proud, but also her native Lebanon, as well as all other Arab or Muslim countries around the World. She achieved that in spite of wearing a bikini; and that didn’t make her any less ‘honorable’.
What about you, what is your opinion about this Miss Arab USA Pageant?