For many years, the Miss France pageant has faced criticism for allegedly reducing women’s images to mere physical appearances, especially with contestants parading in swimsuits. Recently, the scandal has intensified, with former contestants voicing serious allegations of sexual assault, forced acts, and other heinous behaviors. This escalating situation has reignited discussions about the pageant’s impact on its participants.
Miss France in Turmoil
As the next Miss France election is scheduled for December 2025, the beauty contest is engulfed in scandal. Hubert Guérin, former right-hand man of Geneviève de Fontenay, is set to publish a shocking book on September 8 that promises to unveil dark secrets surrounding the iconic competition. In preparing his manuscript, Guérin collected numerous testimonies from past contestants, revealing alarming and often sexualized practices. In total, around 60 former Misses have come forward, all echoing similar accounts of misconduct.
“It is a machine that crushes candidates; they are shattered by the contest and sent back into society unprotected.”
Chilling Testimonies Emerge
Several early disclosures from these testimonies are particularly chilling:
- “I entered Miss France alive, but came out of my year dead.”
- “In my room, I was pushed against the bed, verbally abused, and had my dress torn.”
- “As Miss France, I was a victim of rape during my year.”
- “The day after my coronation, I was forced to perform oral sex.”
- “He would go into all the rooms, place himself between the contestants for a photo, and put a hand on each buttock.”
- “Trapped, I slept on the floor, but he still rubbed himself against my thigh. I was frozen with fear.”
These incidents reportedly occurred between 1990 and 2002. Guérin has clarified that neither Geneviève de Fontenay nor Sylvie Tellier were aware of these events, highlighting a disturbing culture of silence surrounding these sexual scandals. Many former contestants feared being cast aside from the Miss France system or disappointing their families and regions.
Mark your calendars for September 8 to explore Miss France: From Dream to Reality by Hubert Guérin.
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