Pageant celebrates plus sized figures

  • 01 June 2017
Big can be sexy and beautiful! This was the core message at the first ever Plus Size Beauty Pageant hosted at the Tshwane University of Technology to help boost the self-esteem of larger women and to celebrate plus sized figures. In addition, the contestants who entered, were all dressed in black and wore red lipstick in support of the movement against women trafficking and femicide. This scourge against women has been on the increase country-wide over the past month.

When a beauty pageant is mentioned people inevitably tend to think of skinny tall ladies, but the Directorate of Extracurricular Development (DED) disproved this myth with the beauty pageant to celebrate plus sized figures.

Miss Plus Size 2017, Khanyisile Nkama, was ecstatic about her wine. “It is both overwhelming and humbling to be the first ever recipient of the TUT Plus Size crown. The body is only a frame and shouldn’t define who you are. Therefore, step out of your confines and start to live beyond the boundaries set by society. Don’t be a one in a million kind of a woman, become a once in a lifetime woman,” she advised female students.

These sentiments were echoed by runners up, first princess Nokukhanya Myeza and second princess Mapule Itumeleng. Both agreed that this inspiring experience once again made them realize and appreciate that big can be sexy and beautiful.

Among the judges were TUT graduate, Smangele Ngwenya, Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club’s National Women Coordinator, Angela Kubheka, Miss Sundowns (National), Sharon Khumalo, Miss Sundowns (Provincial), Nthabiseng Mlangeni and Sibusiso Mahlangu from TUT FM.

“I loved every moment, more so seeing women celebrate their unique beauty and gorgeous bodies. This is how it should be. I don’t really like judging as I believe that every woman is unique and beautiful, but well done to the winner, Khanyisile,” said Miss Mamelodi Sundowns (National) Sharon.

For more information on the Tshwane University of Technology please contact Willa de Ruyter on tel: 012 382 5352 or send an email to deruyterw@tut.ac.za.