Starting on 2019, the Miss America contestants will no longer walk around in bikinis and high heels, but the beauty contest's latest attempt to cater to the PC culture expectedly had a rough start.
"We are not going to judge you on your outward appearance," Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host, catalyst of the #MeToo movement and Miss America’s chairwoman, announced on ABC's Good Morning America in early June.
Almost immediately, people from all walks of life felt the insult to their sensibilities. Former Miss Americas joined forces online to express their disapproval, and a popular organizational shake-up has been linked to the pageant's new out-of-touch direction.
However, the real dispute may be happening on the state level—where all but five of the qualifying pageants are still holding swimwear contests and organizers, contestants and fans are publicly disparaging the move online.
According to Philadelphia magazine, eulogy posts in the Miss America Fan Group on Facebook are calling the decision "a death nail into the program and predicted 'a mass exodus' from participation at the state level."
In the recent Miss Massachusetts competition last Saturday, the organization featured a skit (below) lamenting the removal of the swimsuit competition, with the loss being correctly blamed on the #MeToo movement.
"We may have very well seen the last ever swimsuit competition on stage. It’s very upsetting,” a woman kneeling on a chair on stage bemoaned as part of the comedy sketch. "And I’m trying to understand, God, why it happened.”
"Me too, Amy," responded a person dressed as God, holding up a #MeToo sign.
Everyone and literally everyone in the crowd cheered following the comment, and the emcee had to wait until the applause died down to proceed. In the aftermath, at least one title holder is planning to turn in her sash.
"We are not going to judge you on your outward appearance," Gretchen Carlson, the former Fox News host, catalyst of the #MeToo movement and Miss America’s chairwoman, announced on ABC's Good Morning America in early June.
Almost immediately, people from all walks of life felt the insult to their sensibilities. Former Miss Americas joined forces online to express their disapproval, and a popular organizational shake-up has been linked to the pageant's new out-of-touch direction.
However, the real dispute may be happening on the state level—where all but five of the qualifying pageants are still holding swimwear contests and organizers, contestants and fans are publicly disparaging the move online.
According to Philadelphia magazine, eulogy posts in the Miss America Fan Group on Facebook are calling the decision "a death nail into the program and predicted 'a mass exodus' from participation at the state level."
In the recent Miss Massachusetts competition last Saturday, the organization featured a skit (below) lamenting the removal of the swimsuit competition, with the loss being correctly blamed on the #MeToo movement.
"We may have very well seen the last ever swimsuit competition on stage. It’s very upsetting,” a woman kneeling on a chair on stage bemoaned as part of the comedy sketch. "And I’m trying to understand, God, why it happened.”
"Me too, Amy," responded a person dressed as God, holding up a #MeToo sign.
Everyone and literally everyone in the crowd cheered following the comment, and the emcee had to wait until the applause died down to proceed. In the aftermath, at least one title holder is planning to turn in her sash.
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