A core aspect of Miss America is celebrating women and their beautiful bodies; the decision to stop showing them in bikinis goes against the essence of the beauty pageant, holds Ronica Clearly of The Hill. These women who were smart, well-spoken, educated about current events and handled pressure well, were being lauded for their unique ability to combine such qualities. The pageant did need a revolution as its waning popularity showed, but the glitz and glamour of the swimsuit competition was a key aspect. This misguided decision removes a highly popular element of Miss America in the name of progress, which is a mistake.
The Miss America beauty pageant has long promoted the ogling and objectification of women; ending its swimsuit competition is a welcome development, suggests Hilary Levey Friedman of USA Today. It was sexist and centered around the event’s glorification of certain slender body types. To go even further, Miss America should include sporting competitions, to celebrate female athleticism and fitness. This could promote a healthy lifestyle for girls across the country and encourage them to work on physical strength, something society doesn’t like in women. This development brings Miss America into the #MeToo era.