Bye Bye Bikini.
And maybe, bye bye to some male viewers who may change the channel now that the Miss America Organization is scrapping both the bathing suit and evening gown competitions, and transforming from a beauty pageant to a competition where women are judged for their brains and contributions to society — not their bodies.
In a news release yesterday, the contest’s directors said, “Each candidate will participate in a live interactive session with the judges, where she will highlight her achievements and goals in life, and how she will use her talents, passion and ambition to perform the job of Miss America.”
Which means starting this year contestants will no longer be judged for their physical appearance.
The Miss America Organization heralded the new era yesterday by tweeting a video of a bikini going up in smoke.
The question now is, will its ratings, too?
It depends who you ask.
Men who frequent establishments like Hooters or strip joints will likely bow out — the rest of us, however, will continue to tune in — as this new, modernized direction ushered in by the #MeToo movement should be celebrated.
And here’s why:
For starters, young girls growing up in America today should be encouraged to develop their talents, passions and intellect — and aspire to make a difference in the world — not be fixated on how they look on Instagram or other social media apps dominating their lives. Talk about shallow, useless and self-defeating, as no one should be hinging their self-worth based on how many “likes” their selfies get.
Secondly, from an integrity perspective, women who say they don’t want to be sexually objectified shouldn’t be contradicting that by parading around in skimpy bikinis in beauty pageants, no less, which send a mixed message to our male counterparts; “Look at my smokin’ body!” While the #TimesUp crowd says “No! Don’t look!”
Well, guess what? Women can’t have it both ways by telling men not to sexually objectify them, compliment their looks or even notice their beauty, while they show off their bodies to win a beauty pageant.
Get real.
Gretchen Carlson, who kickstarted the #MeToo movement with her high profile 2016 sex harassment suit against former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and who now leads the Miss America Organization, should be commended for being consistent when it comes to what women want and, more importantly, what we value.
Then there’s the issue of inclusivity.
