Thursday, Apr 18, 2024 | Last Update : 11:26 AM IST
Miss America scraps swimsuit competition
Women don't have to wear gowns either as chairwoman Gretchen Carlson promises contestants won't be judged on their physical appearance
Gretchen Carlson, the new head of the Miss America board of directors has revealed that orgnaisation will no longer judge women based on their physical appearance.
Speaking to Good Morning America, she said, “We are no longer a pageant. We are a competition.”
The decision comes close at the heels of email leaks that revealed former CEO Sam Haskell and board members frequently demeaned the physical appearance, intellect, and personal lives of former pageant winners, including Carlson.
Carlson, 51, was named chairwoman of the Miss America Organization just days after Haskell resigned in January.
Carlson hopes to usher in a new era for the organisation, revealing the evening gown portion will also be cut as well.
Instead contestants will be asked to wear any attire that makes them feel confident, expresses their personal style, and shows how they will advance the role of Miss America.
The swimsuit competition will now be replaced with an interactive session with the judges, in which the women will be asked to demonstrate their 'passion, intelligence, and overall understanding of the job of Miss America'.
