Miss America Ends the Swimsuit Portion of Its Competition

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times



For nearly a century, Miss America contestants have strutted onstage and struck poses in increasingly skimpy swimsuits, in a controversial pageant tradition that organizers long defended as a gauge of the women's physical fitness.

But the bikini has been banished. The Miss America Organization, confronting a harassment scandal and trying to find its place in the #MeToo era, announced on Tuesday that it would scrap the swimsuit portion, starting with its next pageant in September.

"We are not going to judge you on your outward appearance," Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox News anchor who is now the organization's chairwoman, said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "We want more women to know that they are welcome in this organization."

Ms. Carlson, who assumed a prominent voice for women's rights in the workplace after filing a harassment lawsuit in 2016 against the former Fox chairman Roger Ailes, said the competition would focus more on the contestants' talents, intelligence and ideas.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/business/miss-america-swimsuit.html

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When women run things...



(not that women can't show off what they got but when we do, we should control the "what" and "how" )

[HopeAgain]

1. Time to end the whole thing

Being good human beings is not a contest.

[Ohiogal]

7. Agree 100%.

[uppityperson]

2. About damn time

[bucolic_frolic]

3. They should just make it a narcissistic challenge

The cover is off their jar of honey anyway

[moreland01]

4. STOP!

The whole idea of a "beauty contest" is disgusting. My dad and brothers used to ogle at the women in these pageants while my sister and I compared assets and felt like shit. Both of us ended up with eating and self image problems. It just needs to stop.

[PJMcK]

5. Yes

Get rid of these antiquated and stupid contests.

[Phentex]

12. I don't understand it either...

seems so archaic.

[Fullduplexxx]

6. I thought it was her body her choice

[packman]

8. Memories - Bert Parks

?t=12

[Odoreida]

9. Quite frankly, I was unaware "Miss America" was still around until I readt this. n/t

[Blue Owl]

10. Suck it Trump

You know that was the only part he cared about...

[Maeve]

11. "We are not going to judge you on your outward appearance" REALLY??

Go ahead and tell yourself it's all about the talent and poise, Gretchen, but that is and always has been a steaming pile.
And you know they would lose viewers if that were true. (I guess people still watch it--haven't seen it since maybe 1979...)

[ChazII]

13. When there are contestants shorter than 5'5" or who are facially different...

then I will believe the line :who are not going to judge you on your outward appearance." By facially different I am thinking of those who cleft palets or have tumors on their face.

[struggle4progress]

14. What will they wear during that part of the contest if they can't wear swimsuits?

[BumRushDaShow]

15. That "part" has been scrapped. At least nationally.

But apparently the state pageants still have that event as part of their qualifying.

(Of course in direct response to your question, they could wear their birthday suits. )