Outrageously unpopular opinion: Miss America eliminating its swimsuit competition is an awful decision and a knee-jerk reaction to the #MeToo movement.
Like countless little girls whose parents desired additional extracurricular outlets for their daughters, I competed in pageants throughout my childhood, teens and by my own volition, into my 20s.
Admittedly, some of those pageants in which I competed as a youngin’ were strictly beauty contests — the kind where overzealous stage moms from around the county descended upon drafty auditoriums in the middle of who knows where and then paraded their babies in front of judges who doled out Cutest Personality awards and eventually, crowned some little girl Tiny Miss Blueberry Patch.
Once a teenager, I graduated to competing in America’s Junior Miss program (now, Distinguished Young Women) and the Miss America Organization (MAO) — systems that both included fitness or swimsuit competitions, on- and off-stage interviews and talent. Note: Miss America should not be confused with Miss USA, an entirely unrelated contest governed by the Miss Universe Organization.
MAO evolved from a mere bikini exhibition on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk in the 1920s and grew into an esteemed program that celebrates young, college-aged women for their philanthropy, academic excellence, health and fitness awareness, artistic expression and overall charisma by rewarding them 10s of thousands of dollars in scholarships annually.
That Miss America is being criticized for perpetuating a cycle of female sexual objectification is a myopic assessment that wholly dismisses the pageant’s objective of championing the well-rounded woman. Lifestyle and swimsuit scores, by the way, only accounted for 15% of a contestant’s overall tally. Interview and talent made up 25% and 35%, respectively.
Let me tell you what I learned from prepping for the swimsuit competition:
- That having occasional, reasonable cheat meals was not only important for my mental health but also for my metabolic health. Instead of looking at French fries and cookies as enemies, I began to consider them friends with whom I could hang out a couple times a month.
- That 130lbs looks way different at 21% body mass index than it does at 15%. My muscular, sprinter’s thighs were never gonna be as slender as Kate’s, whose talent was ballet en pointe, yet we were both still very healthy versions of ourselves.
- That finding swimsuit colors and cuts to best complement my complexion and body type can be frustrating but rewarding. And it didn’t really matter to me that I never actually won that part of the competition because I achieved peak-level fitness and adapted a lifestyle that I still employ all these years later.
Through competing, I really began internalizing that women wear health and fitness in a variety of ways.
Eliminating the swimsuit competition — especially when it’s not the focal point of Miss America– sends the message that women can’t be celebrated for their brains and physical fitness, their intellect and sexuality in the same space. The overarching message – whether or not intentional – is that we have to choose one or the other.
I’m thankful for the changing of the guard at the highest levels of MAO, but to me, this seems like a drastic attempt to redeem indiscretions of directors past and an impulsive effort to stay on-trend with #MeToo.
Let’s not pretend that our perception of others’ health and fitness isn’t factored into how we judge potential hires, choose partners and interact with strangers. Should we pay more attention to people’s intangible traits? Certainly. And by relegating such a small percentage of contestants’ overall score to the swimsuit portion of the competition, yesteryear’s Miss America Organization had it right.
Now, unfortunately, they’ve gotten it tragically wrong.
Article by Erica Davis
Erica Davis is a former NFL cheerleader, writer and actress. Davis is also a Sports & Entertainment host for After Buzz TV, Black Hollywood Live and Dr. Drew. Erica is a fun, fabulous and fearless addition to the Cachet Digital team. Instagram: @EricaRenneeD Twitter: @EricaReneeD
