Brazil’s butt-showcasing beauty pageant has transformed into a political platform for many contestants. The Miss Bumbum 2017 was awarded to 28-year-old model and journalist Rosie Oliveira, who is also Miss Peru. Oliveira used her platform to discuss serious women’s political issues.
Yet despite her poise onstage and campaigning for the rights and respect of women, Oliveira was still groped during an interview directly after her win.
Maximum reports that a drunk guy grabbed her butt during the interview and Oliveira responded by slapping him across the face.
“This is exactly what we fight against,” she said after slapping the man. “Just because I’m Miss Bumbum doesn’t mean they can disrespect me. I want to show women you can still have a big beautiful bottom and not be treated like an object.”
Oliveira was among several contestants who have been protesting Brazilian President Michel Temer, sporting “out with Temer” T-shirts amid a bribery scandal. The contestants have also been protesting against sexual harassment and used their pageant platform to shed light on issues affecting women.
During the pageant, Oliveira strutted across the stage holding a Brazilian flag with the hashtag #ForaTemer written across it.
The women also posed for a photo wearing slabs of meat as bikinis to protest ongoing violence against women, and say they are more than just a piece of meat.
Oliveira was one of 27 women chasing after the 2017 title.
Although the annual pageant revolves around judging who has the biggest and best butt, this year the women decided to do more. When the contestants were introduced, rather than giving their typical bust, waist, and hip measurements, the women decided to give measurements of more importance.
“My name is Camila Canicoba Llaro, my measurements are 2,202 cases of femicide reported in the last nine years in my country,” said Llaor of Lima, Peru.
“My measurements are 13,000 girls suffer from sexual abuse in our country,” said Luciana Fernandez.
Other contestants gave measurements of sexual exploitation and the number of college women assaulted by their partner. The hashtag #MisMedidasSon documented the proceedings.
