Although the pageant's director said Watters' title had been revoked over her age, it was he who approved her age waiver. Koini Vakaloloma (pictured with crown) has replaced her as the pageant's winner.
Queen of Miss World Fiji Stripped of Crown
16-year-old winner looks too Western to win, judges say.
Web2Carz Contributing Writer
Published: May 22nd, 2012
O
fficials for the Miss World Fiji pageant have decided to strip the crown from this year's winner, thanks to complaints from curmudgeonly "concerned citizens" who say that the 16-year-old doesn't "represent Fijian beauty" enough. Officials took away the title from Torika Watters and gave it to another contestant.
Critics say Watters represents a "whitewashing of international beauty standards."
Watters is mixed-race and critics said that she looks "too Western" to win the pageant, because she represents a "whitewashing of international beauty standards."
Pageant director Andhy Blake said that revoking the title was because Watters is too young to compete—but, he had previously approved a waiver that allowed her to enter despite her age. Yikes.
While the idea of whitewashing international beauty standards is something that should be talked about, it's important to address the real issue: if a Fijian woman has lighter skin than another Fijian woman, is one of them more Fijian than the other? No.
