I'd feel happier if Vietnam wins an Olympic medal than having so many beauty queens

On Aug. 4, what caught my attention was the news that Vietnam had added two more beauty queens and six runners-up from two different contests, Miss Grand Vietnam and Miss Tourism Vietnam. A friend sitting with me at the coffee shop rolled his eyes and asked, "Why are there so many beauty queens?"

I've seen people on social media listing beauty contests organized in and joined by Vietnam, and the number has surpassed 100.

In the past, people would compliment a girl's appearance by saying, "You are beautiful like a beauty queen." Now, no one uses "beauty queen" as a compliment anymore. The title has lost its value.

There is the commercial aspect. Beauty contests have become a "gold mine" for organizers. Many groups have eagerly invested in hosting these pageants. The more contests held, the more beauty queens we have, leading to a sense of monotony.

The title of beauty queen has become so common that it is no longer special.

The public no longer bothers to ask what the new beauty queens will do to deserve their titles. With so many beauty queens now, no one has enough time to follow what they do after the competition.

I turned to my friend and said, "I wish Vietnamese athletes at the Olympics could experience the same level of celebration as beauty pageants at home."

If I could read news of Vietnamese athletes winning a medal, even just a bronze, I, and probably many other Vietnamese, would feel happier than reading about so many beauty queens.