New book explores Filipinos’ affinity with queens and beauty pageants

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — A new book that examines how beauty pageants have shaped—and been shaped by—Filipino cultural identity, national aspiration, and social transformation, will be launched today by Vibal Foundation at The Gallery along Araneta Avenue, Quezon City, marking a significant addition to contemporary cultural studies in the Philippines.

Vibal Foundation proudly unveils its latest book, Beauty Spectacle: Pageants, Fan Culture, and the Filipino Adoration for Queens, authored by scholar and lifelong pageant enthusiast Gene Segarra Navera. Part academic inquiry and part personal reflection, Beauty Spectacle unpacks the spectacle of beauty not merely as a showcase of gowns and crowns. Navera frames it as a powerful and contested space that intersects with history, politics, social mobility, and public aspiration.

Divided into three parts—Beauty, Pageants, and Fans—the book traces the evolution of Filipino beauty standards, from precolonial concepts of inner and outer beauty, through the colonial imposition of Eurocentric ideals. It scrutinizes the legacy of iconic pageants like Binibining Pilipinas and the nation’s intense fascination with global contests such as Miss Universe.

Beauty Spectacle also tackles the contradictions of pageantry. It reflects on how beauty can uplift and inspire, yet also impose narrow ideals. It also spotlights the critical role of fans, particularly from the LGBTQIA+ community, who are often the lifeblood of pageant culture—offering not only fervent support but also critical commentary on the politics of beauty.

Navera, a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore Centre for English Language Communication, brings both academic rigor and personal insight, weaving in his own journey as a young pageant fan to a cultural critic. His writing brings clarity, depth, and personal warmth to a topic often dismissed as superficial.

The book launch will feature a discussion with the author, with the attendees getting an exclusive preview at the book’s insights on Filipino fandom, beauty politics, and the enduring influence of queens who continue to captivate the national imagination.

Beauty Spectacle: Pageants, Fan Culture, and the Filipino Adoration for Queens is published under Vibal Foundation’s Academica Filipina+ series, known for pushing the boundaries of scholarly publishing with smart and thought-provoking works that explore the Philippine past and present.