A beauty pageant seeking young ambassadors for the environment has been slammed for imposing a strict set of entry rules that send “mixed messages”, including one that stipulates contestants must never have been pregnant.
The Miss Earth Australia pageant is looking for young, articulate women to be ambassadors for environmental sustainability.
But the rules stipulate they must be between size eight and ten, and no taller than 180cm.
Entrants must be single, never have married and never given birth.
The website states that the criteria will be "strictly enforced".
Counsellor and body image ambassador Julie Carter told ninemsn she believed the pageant “hijacks a societal issue” by linking itself to environmental issues.
"I really don't understand why someone needs to be a particular size to be considered a fantastic ambassador for the environment," Ms Parker told ninemsn.
"(It) sends a terrible mixed message to girls and young women and the wider community about the environment," she said.
Environmental campaigner Tanya Ha told ninemsn women had a strong role to play in the environmental debate, but this wasn’t the way to go about it.
“If you like the glam thing — ball gowns and bikinis go for it — but don’t pretend to be about the environment.”
Many women with valuable insights on the environment were married and had children, she added.
“In fact, many women who have children become more aware and interested in environmental issues because they suddenly have a very important personal interest in the future.”
But reigning Miss Earth Australia, Kelly Louise Maguire, has defended the pageant, saying it sends a "positive message to the younger generation".
It is a beauty pageant after all and, according to Ms Maguire, criticism is just a case of tall poppy syndrome.
"You have those requirements because at the end of the day, they are utilising beauty to send a message," she told ninemsn.
"People who are beautiful and people of note are powerful in society."
Pageant rules are standardised through the world and have the same entry requirements, including height and size.
"It doesn't detract from the overall theme of things and everyone's interested in the young pretty things.
"It really is in order to get the media attention to further the cause."
Contestants needed to be strongly dedicated to an environmental cause, she added.
One condition of entry for the Australian pageant stipulates contestants must have planted a tree before the competition in September.
Miss Earth is the third most popular international beauty pageant, after Miss Universe and Miss World and has organisations in 120 countries.
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