Beauty pageant for men to benefit March of Dimes

Dothan is a pageant town.

Each year hundreds of local beauties in flowing, sequined gowns with professional hair and makeup parade before a community eager to embrace the most beautiful and graceful lady in the competition.

And then there’s that other pageant — the one where the balloon-breasted contestants acknowledge their unattractiveness and less-than-feminine ways but, nonetheless, each desperately wants the title of Ms. Bee Haven.

The City of Dothan is continuing a five-year tradition with its sponsorship of the annual Womanless Beauty Pageant, to be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Dothan Opera House. Admission is $3 with all proceeds going to the Wiregrass chapter of the March of Dimes.

The event, hosted by the Dothan Police Department, will be emceed by last year’s winner, police investigator Corporal Philip Rice, the reigning Ms. Bee Haven.

Rice is playing an integral part in this year’s event and is helping prep the dozen or so contestants who will sing, dance and strut before judges in this year’s competition.

Rice attributes his win to his placement on the roster — he was dead last so he might sum up the competition.

“The pageant is very competitive,” he said. “My strategy last year was to go last so I could bring it when I had to. It was the moves that won it.”

Rice won in a simple halter top with ample cleavage, tight jeans, modified police boots with fur and a blonde wig. He danced to the song “Apple Bottom Jeans.”

The pageant raises about $1,000 each year and is open to any non-woman. The idea for the pageant came from city employee Joette Booker, who is active with the annual National Peanut Festival competition and serves as a chaperone for Little Miss Peanut.

The event is now coordinated by police department employee Miranda Armstrong who said it is not difficult to recruit firemen, policemen and others for the line-up because it is a good cause.

“You kind of know who would do it and who wouldn’t,” she said. “A lot of people agree to it because they have a passion for babies.”

And, she said, it is a way for those in public safety to unwind. “You leave your cares at the door,” she said.

Rice said the event could be considered a fun, family event for officers and their families.

“Police officers are human,” he said. “We have to have outlets, too. We love this community and want to make it better.”

This and other fundraising events held by the police department contributes over $10,000 to the March of Dimes.