How We Judge Our Contests (And Why We Changed Everything)
Let’s talk about judging—because how a contest is judged matters just as much as who walks away with the crown.
This year, we made a very intentional shift in how all True North Pin Up contests are judged. Not for drama. Not for optics. But because fair, structured judging creates better experiences for everyone involved.
Blind Judging (With One Exception That Makes Sense)
Our contests are judged using a blind judging system with one necessary identifier:
judges see stage names only.
That’s it.
Judges do not see:
Legal names
Social media accounts or follower counts
Personal history
Past placements or titles
They watch the show and score what happens on stage, in real time, based on a clearly defined rubric.
Yes—just like teachers do in school.
Same assignment. Same criteria. Same scoring system.
Who Our Judges Are
Our judging panels are made up of:
Women active in the pin-up scene
Past winners
Veteran pin-ups
Empowering women who understand performance, confidence, and presentation
What you won’t find on our panels:
Random car guys
People judging based on attraction or personal preference
Anyone unfamiliar with pin-up culture, consent, or community standards
This is a pin up contest. It’s judged by people who respect the art form and the humans behind it.
A Clear Rubric = No Guessing
Every judge uses the same rubric, broken into clearly defined categories:
Overall look and styling
Stage presence and confidence
Posing and expression
Creativity and theme adherence
Each category has specific point ranges and descriptors. Judges aren’t “vibing it out”—they’re assessing observable performance against shared criteria.
No moving goalposts. No gut feelings disguised as scoring.
The Tech Keeps It Clean
Judging is completed through a Google Form that:
Records scores independently
Automatically calculates totals
Feeds into a spreadsheet
Tallies results without discussion or adjustment
There are:
No judge conversations during scoring
No comparing notes
No influence from other judges
Once scores are submitted, they stand.
Why We Do It This Way
This system:
Removes bias
Protects contestants
Protects judges
Protects the integrity of the contest
It ensures that every contestant is evaluated fairly, equitably, and consistently—based on performance, not personality or popularity.
The Bottom Line
We don’t crown winners based on who someone knows, how loud their cheering section is, or who fits someone else’s idea of “perfect.”
We crown winners the same way educators grade work:
Clear criteria
Equal conditions
Consistent evaluation
No bias.
No backroom chatter.
No greasy nonsense.
Just fair, structured judging—done with intention and respect.
— Kiki Lou 💋
