More than a crown

Gene Navera's new book explores the Filipino fascination with beauty pageants

- By LAYETA P. BUCOY

What lies behind a beauty queen's tiara? Or, more pointedly, what is it about its sparkle that keeps Filipinos endlessly fascinated with beauty pageants?

These questions and more are answered by Dr. Gene Segarra Navera, deputy director and senior lecturer at the Centre for English Language Communication at the National University of Singapore, in his new book, “Beauty Spectacle: Pageants, Fan Culture, and the Filipino Adoration for Queens.” Launched by Vibal Foundation, the book is “made by a pageant fan for pageant fans and for those curious about the scene.”

As a young queer boy, Dr. Gene began watching pageants at the age of six, “fascinated with women parading in costumes, evening gowns, and uniform swimsuits.” Growing up in the analog era, he could only watch pageants broadcasted on television and for years, satisfy his thirst for more information or trivia by poring over collected newspaper and magazine clippings by friends who are fellow pageant fans.

He observed how the shift from analog to digital also transformed not only access to information but also the experience of pageant fandom itself. The easy access to real-time updates, online communities, and live commentaries fundamentally changed how fans participate and engage.