'Miss America' Pageant Axes Swimsuit Competition, Will No Longer Judge on Appearances

[Adelaide]

Beauty is a portion of it, but the winner is expected to speak eloquently and support an issue during her year. If she can't speak publicly or can't speak intelligently on an issue, then there's a problem, regardless of how she looks in a swimsuit (they don't parade around in one during their "reign"). The scoring values are kind of wonky in how they reward beauty versus how they reward well-roundedness and/or the speaking portion. Not saying I agree with taking the swimsuit competition out, but I don't think it was ever necessary, either - you can tell if someone is fairly fit and in good shape from what they wear in general. At any rate, I would like to see the competition force contestants to actually be able to answer questions about current affairs without sounding like an idiot (which I think is partly just poor public speaking skills).

I remember as a kid they used to show the talent competition - get back to that, maybe. Stop treating women as 75% beauty and 25% substance.

[rcfieldz]

Beauty is a portion of it, but the winner is expected to speak eloquently and support an issue during her year. If she can't speak publicly or can't speak intelligently on an issue, then there's a problem, regardless of how she looks in a swimsuit (they don't parade around in one during their "reign"). The scoring values are kind of wonky in how they reward beauty versus how they reward well-roundedness and/or the speaking portion. Not saying I agree with taking the swimsuit competition out, but I don't think it was ever necessary, either - you can tell if someone is fairly fit and in good shape from what they wear in general. At any rate, I would like to see the competition force contestants to actually be able to answer questions about current affairs without sounding like an idiot (which I think is partly just poor public speaking skills).

I remember as a kid they used to show the talent competition - get back to that, maybe. Stop treating women as 75% beauty and 25% substance.

These gals are young. Just because they are in the final few to win and get the jitters and their minds go blank is not a reason to say they are of lower intelligence than a woman who may be better at memorizing a planned statement. They also ask questions out of the air for which they may not have been prepared for. Still the competition is /was on the largest stage they have ever probably been lucky to participate in.
And dropping the gowns from it is totally ridiculous too. Changing the whole show will only last a while I bet. Until the people in the top of the organization leave or are replaced and it is revived to it's original format with much fanfare.

[MMC]

Personally I do not care, I can not tell you the last time I watched the Miss USA or America Pageant, I think it would go back to when Bert Parks was still the host. The Miss America Pageant has been based on looks since day one, it started as a PR stunt to boost Atlantic City; "This event was designed to bring business to the Boardwalk: "three hundred and fifty gaily decorated rolling wicker chairs were pushed along the parade route. Three hundred and fifty men pushed the chairs. However, the main attractions were the young 'maidens' who sat in the rolling chairs,"
Miss USA, Universe, Teen USA etc.... are all just knockoffs
Things have changed over the years and I would say they will continue to in the future, but I fear that this is a step towards extinction for these events, the Chairwoman stated “We are not going to judge you on your outward appearance, ... We are moving it forward and evolving it in this cultural revolution.” and she said that it would open up it's diversity. I predict it will just be a year or two until the first Trans woman competes, I also predict that she will win, so we will have a man as Miss America..........

I do not understand why people feel the need to destroy things people like, while I can care less a great many young women strive to be in this and other pageants, now they can no longer have that dream......

Yep....taking away some young women's dream.

[MMC]

These gals are young. Just because they are in the final few to win and get the jitters and their minds go blank is not a reason to say they are of lower intelligence than a woman who may be better at memorizing a planned statement. They also ask questions out of the air for which they may not have been prepared for. Still the competition is /was on the largest stage they have ever probably been lucky to participate in.
And dropping the gowns from it is totally ridiculous too. Changing the whole show will only last a while I bet. Until the people in the top of the organization leave or are replaced and it is revived to it's original format with much fanfare.

Yeah getting rid of the gowns along with the swimsuit, won't leave much of an attraction.

[MMC]

You men should post photos of yourself and let's see if you are any better than the women you shame on this thread. Frankly, I thought better of most of you.

[Peter1469]

Quite right. So, as Americans, they will be giving their opinions on how they are privileged to live in a country made great, yet again, and it's ability to bomb the $#@! out of whoever it chooses.
I can't wait not to watch it.

Sounds like penis envy. Yes we can project force globally at will. And sustain it. No other nation can make that claim.

Suck it up butter-cup.

[Adelaide]

These gals are young. Just because they are in the final few to win and get the jitters and their minds go blank is not a reason to say they are of lower intelligence than a woman who may be better at memorizing a planned statement. They also ask questions out of the air for which they may not have been prepared for. Still the competition is /was on the largest stage they have ever probably been lucky to participate in.
And dropping the gowns from it is totally ridiculous too. Changing the whole show will only last a while I bet. Until the people in the top of the organization leave or are replaced and it is revived to it's original format with much fanfare.

They aren't planned statements generally. They're random questions from the judges. Jitters are one thing... making totally false statements another. And by that point, after all of the pageants they do to get there, there should not be jitters so bad they can't answer questions. And what happens when they have to do that as part of their reign? They travel the country doing speaking engagements and random crap for the public.

[rcfieldz]

They aren't planned statements generally. They're random questions from the judges. Jitters are one thing... making totally false statements another. And by that point, after all of the pageants they do to get there, there should not be jitters so bad they can't answer questions. And what happens when they have to do that as part of their reign? They travel the country doing speaking engagements and random crap for the public.

It's the WORLD stage. Not a high school or Hooters pageant.