'Women should not be judged by their looks'

'Women should not be judged by their looks'

The participation of Artika Sari Devi in the Miss Universe
contest has drawn protests at home. The country had previously
prohibited beauty pageants in the predominantly Muslim Indonesia,
let alone competing in an international event, as some have
expressed the view that it brings disgrace to Indonesian culture
and women. The Jakarta Post asked residents their thoughts on the
issue.

Syahrul Hidayat, 29, is a lecturer on Islamic politics at the
University of Indonesia. He lives with his family in Depok:

I am against the Miss Universe pageant. How can you measure a
person by his or her physical appearance and parade it in front
of the public?

I suspect that physical appearance dominates the jury's
evaluation. Women should not be judged by the shape of their
bodies, especially by exposing their aurat, -- the part of the
body that is forbidden to be shown in public according to Islamic
teachings. Can it show someone's greatness?

Women should be valued more for their intelligence and
maturity.

It is permissible to show your beautiful face. Yes, you can be
good-looking, but that's not all it takes to be a great woman.

Those who say that by participating, the country's tourist
industry will benefit, are only looking at the issue from a
capitalist point of view.

Yenni Erika Riyani, 27, works at a research institute in
Depok. She lives nearby with her relatives:

First of all, I don't agree with a contest that judges women
by their physical beauty. Women should be judged by their
intelligence, personality, and other non-physical assets.

If the pageant treats women in such a way, the judges of the
contest are actually treating them like a slab of meat.

If the pageant is such a positive event, why do they require
their participants to wear a bikini? What is supposed to be
judged by wearing a bikini? Aren't they aware that by wearing
modest attire, which covers almost all parts of the body, they
can also look pretty?

Perhaps she has studied religious teachings, but that's it. It
is only at the level of knowing, not understanding.

If she still wants to join the pageant, she should propose a
condition that the pageant would not allow the exposure of a
women's body and that she would only wear modest attire in front
of the public.

--The Jakarta Post