Dancers and Beauty Queens Turned Politicians
Famous Twice Over- Four "Leading Ladies"
Feb 17, 2009 Inka Piegsa-Quischotte
Sarah Palin, who was Miss Wasilla and made 3rd in the Miss Alaska pageant, may be the most recent beauty queen turned politician, but she is not the only one. Here are details of four other very pretty politically active women.
Lisa HannaJamaican Lisa Hanna became Miss World in 1993. After living and working for some time in the US, among other things as a radio show presenter, she obtained a Masters in Communications when she returned to her country. In 2007 she caught the public eye again, as she was promoted as candidate for the People National Party and went on to win the constituency for South Eastern St. Ann.
Her nomination provoked much controversy as people claimed that she didn't have a clue about politics and should never have been nominated for that constituency because she did neither live nor work there and was unaware of the conditions and cirumstances. Her victory however was overshadowed by the fact that the PNP proceeded to lose the general elections for the first time in 18 years. She now serves as MP for the opposition.
Ilona Staller - La CicciolinaBorn in Hungary, Ilona Staller became a naturalized Italian by marriage and embarked on a colorful career as dancer, singer and porn star. By 1979, she turned to politcs and was presented as candidate for the Italian Parliament by Lista del Sole, Italy's first green party. She switched to Partido Radicale and was elected to parliament in 1987.
She proceeded to become a founder member of the political movement of Partido dell'Amore, the Love Party, campaigning actively against nuclear energy, all forms of violence, the death penalty and promoting the decriminalisation of drugs and absolute sexual freedom. In 2004 she declared that she wanted to run for Mayor of Milan and tried to become politically active in her home country.
Emma GarrettIrish born Emma Garrett, Miss Great Britain and Miss Belfast 2008, turned to politics on the back of her beauty pageant success. She ran for the by election seat of Crewe and Nantwich (UK) in May 2008 as a member of the newly formed 'Beauties for Britain' party, but failed. She wasn't more successful with running for another constituency, but remains politically active. She promotes a more glamorous image for Parliament, the fight against sleaze in politicians and more transparency and accountability in government.
Isabel Martinez de PeronNot a beauty queen, but a night club dancer, Isabel Peron met her husband Juan Peron during his exile in Panama. After years in Panama and Spain, Peron returned to power in Argentina and was elected president for the third time when he died in 1974.
Isabel became his successor and made history as the first female president and head of state in Latin America. Her presidency was overshadowed by violence and economic crisis and she was arrested and deposed in 1976. She fled to Spain, the country which denied her extradition to Argentina in 2008.
These four personalities who have made the transition from entertainer or beauty queen to politician are a good example to analyse the similarities between politics and entertainment and the characteristics of both professions.
Representatives of both are used to and even thrive on a life in the public eye. Beauty queens have, beyond a doubt ,brains and good looking politicians attract more public attention and interest and hence can accumulate more votes than plain ones. Determination and the will to succeed as well as a penchant for power are common for both. Another common trait is charisma and the ability to charm the crowds. Emma Garretts' promotion of more glamour and female power in Parliament is certainly not a bad idea.
Given that a lot of common ground exists between politcs and entertainment, it's to be expected that more beauties will turn into glamorous and - hopefully - efficient politicians.
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