True Feminism Is Knowing That Girls Can Do Anything — And Letting Them
By: Torie Richardson
Tags: Feminism, Beauty Pageants, Pageants, Queen, Misogyny

Some of the most educated, fearless, politically-minded leaders I’ve ever encountered are the young ladies I’ve met through pageantry. Yet, it seems public opinion on these processions is increasingly negative. Skeptics imagine scantily clad women in sashes and high heels strutting on stage hoping to earn points from people who only care about appearance.

Honestly, I can imagine why someone with passing knowledge of pageantry would condemn it. But that’s the thing about some aspects of modern-day feminism — it completely condemns the past without considering the root of the problems we’ve had, which makes us far more likely to repeat our ignorant mistakes.

When I review the social media presence of state representatives for systems like Miss America and Miss USA, I don’t see them using their platforms to promote vanity or self-worship. I see them displaying leadership and volunteerism in nearly every post. I see them promoting charities, appreciating friendships with other contestants, and emulating positivity. They make me not only want to be a better pageant queen — they make me want to be a better person.

Still, in recent times, pageantry has indeed made a bad name for itself in embarrassing ways. I mean, President Donald Trump, who runs the whole friggin’ country despite his “grab him by the [expletive]” comment, owned Miss USA until 2015, and the Miss America organization recently came under fire after an email scandal revealed the CEO’s vulgar comments directed toward current and former contestants. So we must ask ourselves: do contestants compete because of some sort of self-hatred? Are they anti-feminist housewives who haven’t caught up with the times? Of course not. They’re well-spoken, college-educated women who could use the scholarship money. They’re girls who have gained the self-confidence to walk across a stage in a swimsuit and not care if viewers at home call them names for it. To me, the most anti-feminist thing you could do isn’t compete in a pageant — it’s demonizing the girls who do because you couldn’t see yourself doing the same.

True feminism is knowing that girls can do anything — and letting them — and trusting them to not let patriarchy get the best of them. Pageant contestants don’t need you to save them — they need you to support them. Don’t assume they don’t know what they’re getting themselves into. Besides, Miss America and Miss USA are far from the only pageants out there.

The pageant system for which I’m a titleholder, National American Miss, is the most popular pageant system for girls aged 8-20 in the country. Not only do they not have a swimsuit competition, they don’t even allow makeup for girls younger than 13.

People are sometimes shocked to hear that I am, simultaneously, a feminist and a pageant queen. However, I can say without hesitation that there is nothing better (besides pursuing my education) that I’ve done for my confidence as a current and future leader than participate in pageantry. I mean, I can get up in front of a room full of people and talk to them courageously because of the Personal Introduction competition. Considering that most Americans would rather die than speak in public, I think I’ve done well for myself by cultivating that skill. Acing the Interview competition means being a shoo-in for future jobs (yes, even when pitted against men!). Additionally, I will not feel bad for letting judges tell me to hold my head higher when competing in Formal Wear. It’s so worth it to literally have random people come up to me and tell me how graceful and confident I seem when I walk. And when I’m going up to get my Nobel Prize someday, it’ll be nice to have practiced walking in heels.

Overall, I’d just say that none of us need your crap for competing in pageants. For many of us, we’ve become better women because of it, and you really have no room to question that. And yes, people of color (like me), people with disabilities, and LGBT+ women are competing and doing well. And the cool thing is, when women didn’t think there was enough room for women like them in pageants, they didn’t boycott them — they created their own. That’s why we have the Miss Amazing Pageant, the Miss Black America Pageant, etc. Because pageants are awesome, and everyone should get to participate if they want to.

So stop condemning the women on your TV with the crowns and banners they worked their butts off for. It doesn’t make you “woke,” it makes you mean. If your “feminism” rolls its eyes at women who don’t mind being looked at in a two-piece, it isn’t feminism. If your “feminism” doesn’t make room for pageant girls, it isn’t feminism.