Brazilian Miss Bumbum contestants make powerful statement wearing meat bikinis

The Ms. Peru beauty pageant really stood out this year with the political statements the contestants made, tackling women’s issues and stating facts about the treatment of women in Peru.

Now, contestants from the annual pageant Ms. Bumbum Brasil competition followed suit, using the contest as a platform to make political statements of their own.

The contestants of 2017’s Ms. Bumbum pulled a Lady Gaga, sporting meat bikinis in protest of recent sexual harassment claims.

Final do Miss Bumbum 2017: Em tom de protesto, convite da final tem candidatas com biquíni feitos de carne “Nos culpam por ser sexy demais. E as atrizes de Hollywood, qual a desculpa?” Em semana que teve tom de protesto sobre a violência contra a mulher em Hollywood, o concurso traz reflexão em mais um convite polêmico para a sua final. Todo ano o Miss Bumbum divulga um convite polêmico para a final do concurso e esse ano não foi diferente. Se no ano passado as meninas recriaram a Santa Ceia só de biquíni, nessa edição elas foram inspiradas na performance da cantora internacional Lady Gaga. As candidatas se vestiram com biquínis feitos de carne para compor o convite da final. “Isso é uma resposta para todos que falam que somos só um pedaço de carne”, contam. Com 50kg de carne, 8 horas de trabalho entre maquiagem, produção e fotografia, o resultado é um convite para a final da 7º edição do Miss Bumbum Brasil com tom de protesto a favor da liberdade de expressão. A final do concurso, que está em sua 7º edição, acontecerá no Noô Bar, em São Paulo, no dia 06 de novembro. As 15 meninas mais votadas no site farão um desfile de gala e uma apresentação individual. A pontuação fica por conta dos jurados, que avaliarão beleza, apresentação, simpatia e, é claro, o bumbum. Crédito: Marco Pinto | MBB7

A post shared by Miss Bumbum Brasil (@missbumbumbrasil) on Oct 23, 2017 at 10:06am PDT

Much like Gaga, the statement stood loud and clear: “We are not a piece of meat.”

About a week ago, the world watched the contestants of Ms. Peru walk up to the stage and give harrowing statistics regarding women in the South American country instead of the objectifying hip-and-bust measurement ratio that are usually given.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=211&v=O-g14_MSWbw

Winner of Brazil’s Miss Bumbum is Rosie Oliveira, a 28-year-old journalist and model that hails from the Amazonas. She has used the contest as a segue into deeper community issues, and opts for change throughout the entire country.

#GPRepost,#reposter,#notetag @bumbetoficial via @RepostApp ======> @bumbetoficial:@bumbetoficial, patrocinador oficial do concurso @missbumbumbrasil, presente na final. Parabéns @eurosieoliveira!! #bumbumbet

A post shared by Miss Bumbum Brasil (@missbumbumbrasil) on Nov 8, 2017 at 4:35am PST

The model has demanded for the President of Brasil to step down, repping the hashtag #FORATEMER, “Get out, Temer,”

As reported by the Washington Post, beauty pageants being used as a floor for political issues isn’t new to the media, but has become a wonderful stage to strengthen the voice of women’s rights.

“Although politics have made notable cameos on the American pageant circuit, in South America, where machismo and female objectification is deep-rooted and femicide rates are high, women have co-opted beauty events to send important political statements.”

Candidatas ao título de Miss Bumbum fazem campanha para a saída de Temer “Não somos só um bumbum bonito, também falamos de política”

A post shared by Miss Bumbum Brasil (@missbumbumbrasil) on May 24, 2017 at 4:04am PDT

“We’re not just a beautiful butt,” the photo caption reads, “We talk about politics, too.”

The Washington Post also translates Rosie’s statement found on her contestant page,

“I want to live to see political reform. I have no children and the country we live in keeps me from that dream. I want to have children and for them to live in a better Brasil than we live in today.”

Shortly after her win, Oliveira had the chance to display what an empowering example she really was.

When a drunken man from the crowd walked up to her and groped her from behind, Oliveira slapped him, then continued her interview, discussing the difficulties that exist in a patriarchal society.

“What he did is machismo and that’s exactly what I want to fight. Just because I’m Miss Bumbum doesn’t mean I can be disrespected.”

Our ladies have been making us very proud, let’s keep it up.