Dumping on the Miss America Pageant is so easy to do; few reporters pass up the opportunity and instead, in their haste to display their wit, most reporters miss the point of the pageant which is:Life is short. Most women want to be attractive to men, and most men want to be attractive to women. Being attractive to the opposite gender is not an altogether unpleasant experience but we don't decide on our own what is attractive. We take our cues from other people. Most of all, we take our cues from the media, which are happy to provide us with an endless supply of beautiful people to watch and emulate.
Eliminating the swimsuit or evening gown competition from the Miss America Pageant would not make women less interested in looking good for men in their lives or make men less interested in women who look good. We are after all, born into a world with two genders, where are differences help define who we are (or want to be). Biology (dare I say it?) is still part of our destiny.
Why am I not surprised by the racist and sexist attitudes of the Miss America Pageant? This Pageant should represent all Americans: white, blacks, Jews, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans and other ethnic minorities and should celebrate a young women's character, intelligence, talent and inner beauty. Instead this annual charade mirrors all the faults of our society: blatant racism, sexism and pervasive sleaziness.
Miss New York, Marisol Montalvo, who, stated by the media, "no beauty queen and has a big overbite". I beg to differ that any young women who can raise six younger siblings, put herself through college and become a talented opera singer is truly a beautiful person.
The Miss America Pageant is hiding the fact that people who support their neighbors, take care of their family, participate in charities, work and study hard to be successful in life and to just be beautiful in the inside rather than the outside is truly a charming person.
