Miss America pageant bans swimsuits and judging contestants on appearance
The competition will in future reward talent and brains and reward women 'of all shapes and sizes'.
This was officially the last time Miss America contestants wore swimsuits. Picture: Twitter
On Tuesday it was announced that the next edition of the glamorous Miss America pageant will scrap swimsuits and be more inclusive of women of all sizes.
It also no longer wants to be called a “pageant” but a “competition”. They have branded the change “Miss America 2.0.”
Contest organisers have bowed to pressure from lobby groups that have long accused beauty pageants of promoting sexism and the objectification of women.
Gretchen Carlson, the chairwoman of the Miss America board of directors, confirmed on the TV show Good Morning America that the event would no longer feature a swimsuit competition.
We're changing out of our swimsuits and into a whole new era #byebyebikini #MissAmerica2019 pic.twitter.com/pgyHotpoYz
— Miss America HQ (@MissAmericaHQ) June 5, 2018
“We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance. That’s huge,” Carlson said.
Join me on @GMA tomorrow morning on @ABC at 730amET for Miss America 2.0! Big news! #MissAmerica @MissAmericaOrg @MissAmerica pic.twitter.com/EFVKmC7EHN
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) June 4, 2018
She added that the new Miss America competition would be more inclusive to women of “all shapes and sizes”.
The USA is in first place on the rankings of having the most obese people on earth.
No more scantily clad women during the Miss America Pageant … sounds like great radio.
— Paul Bracken (@PaulBracken61) June 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/peytonhenshaw/status/1003963835097763841
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