In the African diaspora, pageants promote 'beauty standards that are underrepresented' in France (2024)

Standing in front of the mirror in a small dance studio in the 20^th arrondissem*nt of Paris, Netty, David and Maëva each held a bottle of water in their hand like a microphone as they timidly rehearsed the speech they will have to give on the evening of the "Miss and Mister Gabon France" final, scheduled for October. Their speech coach warned them: On the day of the pageant, they have to be "lions in the arena" and be like "Beyoncé" in order to win over the audience.

That recent Sunday morning in July, various coaches arrived one after the other over a span of three hours to work on fitness, the fashion show, public speaking and media training to help prepare the contestants for the big night. Just outside the studio door, Jesse Guillot, the president of the organizing committee, and Patricia Moukambi, the manager, were still holding auditions via video conference. "Can you tell us who was the first president of Gabon?" they asked Kévin, who clearly wasn't expecting a general knowledge test.

Well-known singers, such as the rappers MHD and Naza, are sometimes invited to perform at parties

"Miss Gambia France," "Miss Mauritania France" and "Miss Ivory Coast France" are just three of the dozens of beauty pageants organized in France by the sub-Saharan diasporas, sometimes with ethnic variations such as "Miss Soninké France" or "Miss Peul Diaspora" and pageants for men. Since the early 2000s, the number of pageants has increased, though it's difficult to estimate the exact number given the confidential nature of certain events.

Pageants held in Paris or its inner suburbs are often preceded by traditional performances and dinners. These may include singers who are well known in France and in French-speaking African countries, such as the rappers MHD and Naza, who are sometimes invited to perform at parties that can last until dawn, attracting hundreds of spectators.

Honoring 'curvy women'

One of the main goals of the events is to enhance "sub-Saharan beauty and African beauty standards, which are underrepresented in the public space," explained Ousseynou Sy, who is a doctoral student in sociology and co-author of an article on the "Miss and Mister Senegal-Mali" pageant, published in 2018 in the journal Hommes & Migrations. At these events, pigmentation and natural hairstyles are highlighted and "young girls and boys come and take note," he said.

With the "Queen Bantou" contest, held in France since 2015, Jennifer Saraiva Yanzere (now minister of culture for the Central African Republic) wanted to honor "curvy women." The selection criteria require at least a size 42. When she created the contest, which brings together contestants of Central African, Cameroonian, Congolese and Gabonese origin, it was also meant to "encourage the diaspora to take an interest in its culture," especially "those who can not come to Africa to get back to their roots." "At the event, we show young ladies how to dress African, how to do their hair African and how to enhance their African beauty," said the minister, who hopes that through events such as these, "our culture crosses the world."

You have 49.72% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.