02369cam a22003493u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000300011324500200014326400510016330000470021433600260026133700260028733800360031349000430034950000310039250800960042352012380051953400780175765300200183565300180185565300310187370000290190483000430193385600430197673589UtSlPG20260610134713.0mcr n260607r20241957utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aSlesar, Henry,d1927-200210aBeauty contest? 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2024  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Fantastic February 1957.  aRelease date is 2024-05-09  aGreg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"Beauty Contest?" by Henry Slesar is a science fiction novella likely written in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around a unique beauty pageant called the Miss Outer Space contest, where contestants undergo a series of rigorous tests that extend beyond mere physical appearance. The narrative explores themes of societal expectations and the definitions of beauty and worth in an interstellar context.  The plot follows a group of young women competing for the title of Miss Outer Space at the Omaha Spaceport. As they endure demanding physical tests and a domestic science evaluation, they navigate their frustrations and desires while being under the scrutiny of the military personnel. The main character, Cleveland, eventually emerges as the winner amidst the backdrop of a surprising twist regarding the ultimate prize: a chance to marry one of the astronauts headed to Mars, thus encapsulating the tension between traditional beauty standards and the evolving roles women may occupy in a futuristic society. The story concludes with a blend of celebration and contemplation as the women consider their future opportunities tied to adventure and sacrifice on another world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  pOriginally published:cUnited States: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1957  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aBeauty contests -- Fiction1 aSummers, Leo,d1925-1985 0aProduced from Fantastic February 1957.40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/73589