Associate Professor Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Education, has called for a significant reduction in the number of beauty pageants in Vietnam. His aim: to preserve the prestige of the crown and ensure the title of Miss Vietnam remains a true source of national pride, rather than a tally in an endless contest count.

“Being a beauty queen today is about more than just a radiant smile or graceful figure,” Dr. Son emphasized. “It represents intelligence, compassion, cultural pride, and a sense of social responsibility. Beauty queens must inspire, advocate, and amplify the voices of youth wherever love, empathy, and action are needed.”

According to him, reducing the number of beauty pageants is not a rejection of beauty but a commitment to celebrating meaningful, culturally rich, and enduring expressions of it. Vietnam needs icons who not only dazzle in appearance but also empathize with disaster victims, champion education, the environment, and public health.

“Streamlining isn’t about limiting - it’s about refining. It’s about making things more beautiful, more sustainable, and more profound,” Dr. Son added. “If beauty queens embody this spirit, then the crown becomes more than just a glittering gem - it becomes a symbol of intellect, compassion, and the aspirations of an entire nation.”

Calls for regulation and reform of beauty pageant organization

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Ngo Thi Tram Anh – Miss Earth Vietnam 2025.

Nguyen Quang Thieu, President of the Vietnam Writers’ Association, expressed deep concern over what he calls the current “overload” of beauty contests in Vietnam. He stressed the urgent need for screening and tighter regulations on such events.

“There are far too many pageants today,” he said. “Even cultural authorities and government agencies recognize the excess. Many of these competitions are unnecessary.”

Historically, both in Vietnam and globally, beauty contests aimed to honor physical and inner beauty, intelligence, kindness, and social engagement. After being crowned, a beauty queen was expected to take on humanitarian missions - protecting nature, preserving culture, promoting kindness, and standing with the vulnerable.

“These events once carried high educational and humanitarian value,” he said. “Now, Vietnam is witnessing an explosion of poorly executed pageants, some of which are downright tasteless. This certainly doesn’t benefit society in any meaningful way.”

Mr. Thieu highlighted the gap between pageant ideals and actual outcomes. While some titleholders genuinely work for the community, many others become infamous for controversial statements or scandalous personal lives.

“We shouldn’t place such lofty expectations on beauty queens if the crowned individuals themselves don’t demonstrate the awareness or actions to match,” he noted. “Few Vietnamese beauty queens have used their fame and influence to genuinely pursue good causes.”

This situation has sparked a public debate: What do these contests actually offer the public?

According to Mr. Thieu, many modern pageants serve the interests of a small group of organizers and have become more about profit than culture or education. “They’re becoming commercial ventures rather than cultural or educational experiences,” he said.

From his cultural perspective, Mr. Thieu urged the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant authorities to review the regulatory framework for organizing beauty pageants. Every event must be assessed for its societal value and relevance. “If a competition doesn’t enhance cultural life, offer educational value, or promote social progress, it should be restricted - or even eliminated.”

He concluded that controlling subpar beauty contests isn’t difficult. What’s needed is a serious evaluation and clear, enforceable regulations from the managing agencies.

Tinh Le