CARNAL NATION

In preparation for last Sunday night’s pageant, Miss Universe hopefuls tossed water-filled condoms and played educational games to raise awareness of HIV and support positive prevention messages. The program is part of the Condom Olympics, an HIV education workshop facilitated by Population Services International (PSI), a global health organization that targets HIV and reproductive health.

PSI teamed up with the Miss Universe Organization to encourage contestants to use their celebrity platform to promote prevention messages to men and women around the world. The 2009 Miss Universe will have the opportunity to work as a PSI ambassador with YouthAIDS following in the footsteps of outgoing Miss Universe, Danya Mendoza.

Events at the Condom Olympics included blowing into condoms to demonstrate their strength, learning to demonstrate proper condom use, and participating in infection games that illustrate the spread of HIV.

“Millions of young girls and women across the world look up to Miss Universe and admire the Miss Universe contestants,” said PSI representative, Ava Rampersad. “Now, thanks to today’s event, these women will be able to continue being leaders in their communities and around the world, educating young women on HIV prevention and helping them live longer, healthier lives.”

After three hours of beauty pageantry interspersed between conspicuous advertising for Atlantis Paradise Island and other big-name sponsors, Miss Venezuela, Stefania Fernandez, was crowned Miss Universe 2009. Though she erroneously declared gender inequality extinct in her response to the Final Question, there is hope that training with PSI’s YouthAIDS program may shape this beauty queen into an effective HIV education ambassador.