response: well the term refers to contests for UNmarried women, like the Big Four International pageans.  Similar evens for men and boys are typically bodybuilding contests
history: Have you ever seen those beauty pageant reality shows? I was actually a pageant winner but I wish I could go back and never take part. Wow congratulations!  I've never seen any but know they are multi-tiered with local competitions feeding into larger ones Really? Like going from state to nationals? I'm not really sure I'm familiar with that form, there would be local and organizational pageants but I never took part of anything bigger than that.
knowledge: The term almost invariably refers only to contests for unmarried women such as the Big Four international beauty pageants. Similar events or competition for men or boys being called by other names and more likely to be bodybuilding contests.