To be honest, I never felt the swimsuit competition was that bad. I was raised on Ms. America pageants. My mom and I would watch the televised show, dress my Barbies for the evening gown segment and then guess which state would win. We always were rooting for Ms. Pennsylvania on the side, in solidarity, even if we thought Ms. Georgia was a knockout.
But now, I guess even someone like me could have been a contestant. This bone came a little too late for this ol' B-eauty.
Let's face it. Women are always going to be judged on their looks. I am not saying that is right or acceptable but them's the facts. Removing the swimsuit competition isn't going to change that. The women who compete in Ms. America have signed up for that. They know the environment, they know what they are in for. They should be respected for their extreme hard work, sacrifice and dedication because that is what it takes to look that good.
Now if a young gal was going to an interview for a teaching job and had to parade in front of the school board in her finest swimwear before they would decide if they would hire her, that is a problem. But the Ms. America pageant is a beauty contest, pure and simple. You take away the swimsuit and the evening gowns and focus more on the contestants’ talents, intelligence and ideas and it seems to me you are left with something more like Shark Tank. So for me, I'm out.
I didn't care that I would never look like those ladies in the pageants. I was a painfully shy kid, who transitioned to a shy 'painfully modest' teenager. I wore long t-shirts to cover up my swimsuit when my family went to the beach. My dad would tell me to be proud of my Olive Oil physique and get some damn sun.
I didn't hate the girls who could pull off a bikini. I knew it just wasn't me. Being the product of some good Catholic school learning, I was taught tough modesty early on. (You don't see much skin exposed on any of the ladies featured in centuries' old icons.) That was ok by me though, since I was a late developer and didn't have much to show off anyway.
I bought my first two piece around age 24, (According to old photos, I did wear a few bikinis as an infant, but that was before I could dress myself.) and I rocked it for about two outings near Virginia Beach where my husband and I were living. Even though initially I was happy to be able to wear one, I didn't feel comfortable. I was self-conscious and exposed - that wrecked havoc on my Catholic subconscious so I ultimately brought my one piece back. I still pin shirts or dresses that have a 'V' I consider too deep.
Now, don't get me wrong. I wish things could be different. I wish looks weren't so important. I wish I didn't have to dye my hair, pluck my white eyebrow hairs, or use special 'age defying' moisturizer, but that is what some of us have to do. I am too lazy to wear make-up so I don't really go the extra mile to improve my appearance because, this is me.
I stopped watching the pageants a long time ago, not as some kind of boycott but probably because 16 years ago I traded adult shows for cartoons and Pixar movies. I just wish people could stop using entertainment mediums to make a statement. Chew on this, back in 1921 the Miss America pageant started in an attempt by Atlantic City to simply extend the vacation season. It was not started to solve poverty or achieve world peace.
So get rid of the swimsuits if you like or maybe just bring back the ones they wore back in 1921 when swimsuits were practically dresses they covered so much, that might boost the ratings. But don't try to make Ms. America about 'creating an accurate representation of women'. I'm a woman and I know what an accurate representation looks like and believe me, that is not going to do Nielsen any favors.
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