I never really understood it, but if Gretchen Carlson is for it, then I’ll consider it seriously. Gretchen is an amazing woman. Her talent, when she won Miss America, was playing concert-performance-level violin. And she went to Stanford. She’s no slouch.
Bunsen- they could run a 5K in their bikinis and high heels!
I imagine what they are thinking is that women who might not have competed because they felt just a little too heavy compared to all the others, will now feel freer to compete with no swimsuit competition.
^ like a size four instead of a zero? 
Well instead of just killing it gracefully it will Just die painfully.
I just have to point out that about 20 years ago my husband and I were out to dinner with another couple who we were just getting to know and somehow the topic of beauty pageants came up in conversation. I made some crack about how ridiculous and antiquated and offensive the Miss America pageant was and then added something about how it’s all made worse by the fact that the organizers claim it’s a scholarship competition. Wouldn’t you know it, but my new friend said “Well, actually …” and it turned out that her sister had been 3rd runner up and used the money for medical school. (Interestingly, she did have to sue the pageant to collect.)
Welcome to 1975 B-)
She had to sue the pageant to get the money?? Tell me more, please.
Did you see the bit from The Onion that said they were replacing the swimsuit section with a “sweatpants and messy bun” competition ?
I could win that competition.
If they want to have an actual scholarship competition, no need for a pageant at all. What’s the point?
It originated simply as a swimsuit beauty contest, to attract tourists to N.J. area. It expanded big time, obviously. It was, and is, a business. Greater and greater prizes were offered to attract contestants and viewers.
My wife feels it’s no big deal, never has been to her. But the wife is a very confident woman. She feels such gawking, and swimwear contests would be terrible in the workplace as Gretchen has mentioned, but that those that choose to enter such a contest have no right to squawk. If you think it inappropriate- don’t sign up (or don’t watch). If you think it’s ok, then go for it. I feel that way too. CBS and later Fox didn’t hire her because she is a skilled musician. Her contest days opened up opportunities. It was her combination of brains and beauty. A big part of feminism years ago, was that women could decide for themselves what course to direct their life. Wife and I are of an age where we heard that then and believe that now. Don’t think it’s right nowadays for people to tell them they must or can’t do this or that now.
In an unrelated issue, I find it most amusing that while with her past employer, so many referred to G.C. as an airhead bimbo, but now some find her as a wonderful oracle of truth and a women’s champion.
NOT necessarily referring to posters here, just in general. Amazing how she suddenly “got smarter” when her opinion agreed with others in the public. Sometimes smart, honest people can disagree.
I agree with a lot of your post, younghoss. The pageants don’t bother me very much- they are beauty contests- no surprise there. It’s fine to sign up for that as a young adult. The problem is that it extended down to very young children (i.e. Jon Benet) and I have a big problem with that.
Haven’t watched any pageant since I was about 12.
@younghoss: I think we find Carlson more feisty and less of an airhead than when she appeared on Fox because that’s the way Fox wants their women to behave on camera. She herself has commented on this – that she was treated condescendingly while on Fox – both on-screen and off- – because that’s how they viewed women announcers. They just wanted an attractive woman, not a thinker.
I watched her on Fox and always loved her. I never got the impression she was being treated condescendingly on air at least. Maybe the impression of “condescending” was from the fact that she gave a woman’s view at times and just that view alone was considered less by current society (and it carried over to her).
I still think pageants are irrelevant, but I’m glad that Miss America removed the offensive board members a few months ago after that email scandal, and are generally shaking many things up.
@VeryHappy here’s an article that mentions it … the settlement was confidential, and she did get her winnings and her medical degree:
Jeez. What a bunch of sleeze.
Has this already been debunked on CC? “The Miss America Foundation is the largest provider of big college scholarships to young women in the U.S. The Miss America Organization, comprised of more than 50 licensed funding groups, is responsible for millions of dollars in scholarship aid at the local, state, and national level. In 2014 alone, Miss America awarded nearly $6 million in scholarships. The organization offers several different types of awards, including Miss America Scholar, Miss America Community Service Scholarship, Quality of Life Awards, the Dr. & Mrs. David B. Allman Scholarship, and the Eugenia Vellner Fischer Award for the Performing Arts. A unique STEM-program scholarship is also available to women pursuing careers in this historically male-dominated field.”