By Lien Nguyen, 3/26/2008
Pageants for Deaf
There are many known beauty pageants on television and in
United State for young girls, boys and women today. These girls,
boys and women joined pageants, such as, Miss Teen America, Miss
National Teenager Pageant, Miss USA, etc. in hope to expand
community services, friendships, do some charity work, win
scholarships and prizes and especially win the title of Miss or
Mr. Beauty Pageant of that year. But what many hearing people do
not realized is that there are many deaf that would love to
participate in this kind of activity. Deaf also feel that they
have talent and beauty just like the others and they should be
able to participate in things like the hearing. And this is why
there are several different pageants for the deaf.
One pageant for the deaf that I came upon during my research is
Miss Deaf America Pageant. Many hearing people, including
myself, probably have never heard of Miss Deaf America Pageant
before because we, as hearing, are too involved and focused in
our world. However, the Miss Deaf America Pageant is a
competition pageant that is offers to young deaf women between
the ages of 18 and 28. This pageant gives the deaf the
opportunity to develop self-confidence, as well, as to become a
goodwill spokeswoman of the National Association of the Deaf.
The goal of the pageant is to encourage girls and boys to be
future leaders for the youth programs of the National
Association of the Deaf. The Miss Deaf America Pageant begun in
1966 by a man name Douglas J. Burke. Burke’s purpose of this
pageant was to find hidden talents of deaf people. With his
great idea, there are now many other pageants for the deaf
community. There are pageants, such as, National Association of
the Deaf, the Miss Deaf America Talent Pageant, the National
Association Deaf, Youth Leadership Camp, the Junior NAD and the
Collegiate NAD (“Miss Deaf America Pageant History”).
Burke explained, that “the main objective of the Miss Deaf
America Talent Pageant was…a new concept to help us elevate the
image and self-concept of deaf ladies throughout the United
States. This is not an ordinary contest…beauty, poise,
gracefulness is desirable qualities, but the biggest point is
one’s cultural talent performance” (“Miss Deaf America Pageant
History”).
In September of 1994, 21-year-old Heather Whitestone who
competed in the Miss Deaf America pageant and was crowned the
“first” deaf Miss America surprised the deaf community.
Heather’s competition was not different from other competitions.
There were no changes made due to her hearing. She won in the
same way that any other contestant would have won. Whitestone
clearly and verbally conveyed the messages of her platform,
answered questions, looked stunning in her bathing suit and
formal gown, and she also performed amazing talent. Her talent
was a classical ballet dance set, in which she couldn’t hear the
sound of the music (Drummond).
Also in the year 2006, Chelsea Tobin who is a South Dakota
native was crowned Miss Deaf America for 2006-2008 at the 2006
National Association Deaf Conference in Palm Desert, California.
Tobin is very involved with different organizations that are
related to disabilities, such as, the National Youth Leadership
Network and Youth Leadership Forum. At the Youth Leadership
Forum 2006, Tobin served as the Master of Ceremonies, and during
her senior year in high school, she served as a page under her
local representative for 2005 legislative session in Pierre,
being the first deaf person to do so. And now Tobin is a student
at Augustana College in Sioux Fall and is majoring in Deaf
Education and Elementary Education (“National Association for
the Deaf”).
Like Heather Whitestone and Chelsea Tobin, there are many other
deaf that are beautiful, smart, confident and talented. These
girls and boys that are hard of hearing or deaf deserve a chance
to show their great qualities in competitions, such as, beauty
pageants. These pageants give deaf contestants the opportunity
to compete within other people from the deaf community to become
spokes men or women for deaf culture. These pageants can help
the deaf to build self confidence within them and also to become
a role model for other young girls and boys. Therefore, whether
you are deaf or just know someone who is deaf, the Miss Deaf
America Pageant is a nice way to show the deaf that anything is
possible.
Work Cited
Drummond, Megan (23 January 2008) “Miss Deaf America”
Suite101.com. Retrieved 24 March 2008:
http://deafness.suite101.com/article.cfm/miss_deaf_america
“Miss Deaf America Pageant History”. Utah Association for the
Deaf. 14 January 2005. Retrieved 20 March 2008: http://www.uad.org/mdup/mdap_history.htm
“Miss Deaf America 2006-2008” National Association of the Deaf.
Retrieved 20 March 2008 http://www.nad.org/mdatobin