It's my favourite time of the year - the search for a Bower Queen is underway.Of course, I'm not interested in who actually wins, nor am I running for it myself (although I'd fancy my chances all told!).
No, I'm more interested in the voyeuristic nature of the contest, the snapshot into the lives of deluded young girls and the pushy parents sitting behind them who fuel this desire for 'stardom'.
But what are the real benefits of being Bower Queen? To be recognised as Lichfield's premier young woman and the glory that goes with it (for glory see page 17 editorial complete with fuzzy photo in the Mercury)? Or is the desire to be ridiculed by your peers and have half the population of Lichfield chuckling at you? After all we are a nation who love to laugh at those glorious failures who haven't a hope in hell of achieving their dream. And for Lichfield, the Bower Queen battle is like the great early bits of X-Factor watching the talentless crash and burn.
As if the Bower itself wasn't an outdated, cringe-worthy embarassment, the Bower Queen is the icing on a stale cake. In the same way you laugh at those all-American youngsters with their glitzy outfits aiming to be beauty queen in Winkelstinkeltown, U S of A, so Lichfield applauds this modern day circus sideshow by allowing it to happen.
Isn't it about time Lichfield let Bower Day and the Bower Queen die a painless death instead of dragging it into public view every year for us all to point and laugh at?
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Whether or not you believe the Bower is a worthwhile event is one thing. But participation doesn't automatically make the girls who take part "deluded" or "glorious failures". I think that's a bit unfair.
ReplyDeleteHave you never seen the entrants?!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of a constructive point, can you provide me with a good reason why the Bower Queen charade is a good idea?
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying it's a good or bad idea. I just think you're being unfair on the entrants. Their reasons for entering the competition may be many. Their taking part, though, doesn't make them deluded or failures.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, say one of these girls wants to become a model. It's a completely logical and reasonable first step to compete to become Bower Queen. A wise career move at a very early age.
Basically, I think you're making assumptions about their personalities and attacking them for it, which is unreasonable.