**I posted this on the Col Experts site; you might find it of interest. If not, you can always looks at the reinas and cast your virutal vote. ;-)**
Long article (in Spanish) but some interesting insights: 15 year old Colombian girls asking for new boobs or laser hair removal rather than the traditional party or trip to celebrate this important birthday, a marked increase in eating disorders when millions on the continent go hungry, 60% of the people in a survey said their physical attractiveness is the most important factor in their success.
A generation or two ago in the U.S. it was not unusual to include a photo when submitting a resume/CV to a prospective employer. Now, of course, it's illegal for them to ask as are any questions about marital status, age and plans to have children. But you can regularly find classified ads in El Tiempo stating "female, single, good appearance, below age 30, photo required."
I've heard from friends in Colombia that if you're female it can be really hard to switch jobs once you're over 30 and for men the cutoff is about age 35. I don't know how much of that has to do with looks and how much of it has to do with an expectation of higher wages, but when you see the "underemployment" figure of a third of the workforce, it's pretty clear that people cling to the (sometimes rotten) jobs they have for fear of not being able to get another one.
http://eltiempo.terra.com.co/proyectos/reinado_2003/reinado2003/index.html
-David
