La Orotava Council Rejects Proposal to Replace Traditional Queen Pageant

The debate over whether to keep traditional queen pageants in local festivals has reached the La Orotava City Council. The municipal government recently rejected a motion from the opposition party, Asamblea por La Orotava, which sought to change the format of the Corpus Christi queen election. This disagreement highlights the ongoing tension between maintaining local traditions and the growing social push to move away from gender stereotypes in public events.

The opposition did not propose canceling the festivities, but rather changing the event’s focus. Manolo Pacheco, spokesperson for Asamblea por La Orotava, argued that the current model is too focused on physical appearance. He suggested replacing it with a talent show open to everyone, including seniors and artists of all backgrounds. The goal, according to the proposal, is to ensure that institutional representation is not based on looks, thereby avoiding the objectification of participants and aligning the event with modern standards of equality.

In response, the local government, led by Coalición Canaria, defended the current format as a cultural and community-based tradition. Government spokesperson Felipe David Benítez Pérez rejected the claim that it is a beauty pageant, arguing that the event is valuable because it involves neighborhood associations and is held at the Ibero-American Museum of Crafts. The government also pointed to the event’s economic benefits, noting that it supports local fashion, styling, and hairdressing businesses.

The two sides also disagreed on the nature of the event itself. While the opposition questioned whether the venue or the candidates' guided tours truly make the pageant a cultural activity, the local government insisted that the freedom to participate gives the event its legitimacy. The plenary session ended in a stalemate, with the opposition criticizing the government for failing to provide specific, technical responses to their concerns.

This conflict in La Orotava reflects a wider trend across Spain, where many local governments are reviewing their festive traditions to better align with equality policies. The struggle to balance traditional identity with modern social values remains a common point of friction, as the line between popular custom and gender representation continues to face intense public scrutiny.