Contestants in the Miss America pageant will not longer have to model a swimsuit or don a ballgown, after organisers decided to phase out the appearance-based elements of the contest.
Instead of modelling swimwear, state champions “will be asked to demonstrate their passion, intelligence and overall understanding of the job of Miss America” in a live interview with judges, ABC reports.
The eveningwear round, another traditional component of the event, will also be retooled to ask contestants to “wear attire that makes them feel confident, expresses their personal style and shows how they hope to advance the role of Miss America”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Gretchen Carlson, chair of Miss America’s board of directors, confirmed in an appearance on Good Morning America on Tuesday that participants will no longer be judged on their physical appearances.
“We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance,” she said. “That's huge.”
She added that new Miss America competition will also be more inclusive to women of “all shapes and sizes”.
Founded in 1921, Miss America has attracted the ire of feminists for decades, accused of encouraging the objectification of women and promoting narrow beauty standards.
The changes are part of an ongoing attempt to move the annual contest away from its roots as a beauty pageant and into the 21st century.
Carlson is one of three women who now lead the organisation, whose senior male executives resigned in December 2017 after it was revealed that “leaders and employees had sent emails disparaging pageant contestants”, CNN reports, “including references to their weight and sex lives”.
A former Miss America winner herself, she is “outspoken advocate for victims of sexual harassment and a champion of the #MeToo movement”, says ABC.
-
DHS preps for major ICE expansion, rankling local law enforcementIN THE SPOTLIGHT As the Trump administration positions ICE as the primary federal police force, its recruitment efforts have been met with a less-than-enthusiastic response
-
The return of 'Wednesday,' an 'Alien' prequel and a dramatic retelling of the Amanda Knox trial all happening in August TVthe week recommends This month's new television releases include 'Alien: Earth,' 'The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox' and a new season of 'Wednesday'
-
How does a 401(k) hardship withdrawal work and is it smart to take one?the explainer More Americans than ever are resorting to this option in a pinch
-
Home Office worker accused of spiking mistress’s drink with abortion drugSpeed Read Darren Burke had failed to convince his girlfriend to terminate pregnancy
-
In hock to Moscow: exploring Germany’s woeful energy policySpeed Read Don’t expect Berlin to wean itself off Russian gas any time soon
-
Were Covid restrictions dropped too soon?Speed Read ‘Living with Covid’ is already proving problematic – just look at the travel chaos this week
-
Inclusive Britain: a new strategy for tackling racism in the UKSpeed Read Government has revealed action plan setting out 74 steps that ministers will take
-
Sandy Hook families vs. Remington: a small victory over the gunmakersSpeed Read Last week the families settled a lawsuit for $73m against the manufacturer
-
Farmers vs. walkers: the battle over ‘Britain’s green and pleasant land’Speed Read Updated Countryside Code tells farmers: ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’
-
Motherhood: why are we putting it off?Speed Read Stats show around 50% of women in England and Wales now don’t have children by 30
-
Anti-Semitism in America: a case of double standards?Speed Read Officials were strikingly reluctant to link Texas synagogue attack to anti-Semitism
