The Miss America pageant has been an institution since it first began in 1921.
But for almost just as long, it's been a source of controversy and the subject of many protests.
It seems everyone from religious organizations to feminist groups has a bone to pick with
the pageant.
We took a closer look at some of the sketchiest aspects of the Miss America competition...
Deep divisions
Back in the 1930s, an unspoken rule that the competition was only for white women became
official.
Lenora Slaughter, director of the pageant for 32 years, was responsible for writing
the notorious rule number seven, which said, "Contestants must be of good health and of
the white race."
In fact, back in 1925, African-American women first appeared on the Miss America stage as
slaves in a musical performance.
Rule seven was abolished in 1940, but it was not until 1970 that Miss Iowa, Cheryl Brown,
the first black contestant to win at a state level, appeared on the Atlantic City stage.
Fourteen years after that, in 1984, Vanessa Williams became the first black Miss America.
That's not all.
Bess Myerson, the daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants, became the first Jewish Miss America
in 1945.
Pageant officials asked her to change her name to "Beth Merrick" to sound less Jewish,
but she refused.
Her victory tour was cut short because she received few endorsements and couldn't stay
at many hotels, which wouldn't accept Jewish guests.
Though there are no official restrictions on Jewish contestants entering the competition,
no winner since Myerson has been Jewish.
Skin deep
In the summer of 1984, the harsh consequences of the pageant's judgmental attitude toward
female sexuality came to light.
Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America, discovered that Penthouse magazine would be
publishing nude photos of her against her will.
Though the photos were taken before she began her tenure as Miss America, pageant officials
insisted that she step down, just a few weeks before the end of her reign.
Suzette Charles, Miss New Jersey, took over as Miss America for the rest of the term.
"There were rumors at the time that there were terrible slurs thrown at her and her
family."
For years afterward, Williams' career as an actress and singer suffered.
Thirty years later, Vanessa Williams returned as a judge for Miss America 2016, and the
organization's CEO publicly apologized to her.
“I want to apologize for anything that was said or done that made you feel any less the
Miss America you always will be.”
Objectification
Many people bristle at the way the Miss America pageant encourages viewers to judge women
based on their appearances.
While the pageant includes a talent segment and brief question-and-answer session…
“Did he cheat...I think I’d have to be there to see the ball, and, uh, feel it and
make sure it was deflated or not deflated.
If there was any question to be had, I think that he definitely cheated, that he should
have been suspended for that.
That’s not fair.”
But there's no denying that Miss America, as well as just about every other pageant,
is first and foremost about external beauty.
“Well obviously it’s greater outer beauty.
I mean we could say politically correct that ‘look’ doesn’t matter, but the look
obviously matters.
Like, you wouldn’t have your job if you weren’t beautiful.”
Most of the competition consists of conventionally attractive women modeling various outfits.
The competition contributes to the objectification of women because of its focus on how contestants
look — the way they style their hair and makeup, what they wear, their figures, and
how they carry themselves.
In 1968, feminists protested the pageant on the Atlantic City boardwalk, hoping to bring
attention to the outdated beauty standards it promoted.
About 400 women showed up and threw make-up and household cleaning products into a "freedom
trash can."
They also put a banner in the contest hall that said "Women's Liberation."
But 50 years later, the pageant still draws millions of viewers each year.
Financial fudging
The Miss America Foundation claims to be the "largest provider of scholarship assistance
to women in the United States," making millions available in scholarships annually.
But in reality, the amount they distribute is much lower.
In a segment from September 2014, John Oliver and his team at Last Week Tonight investigated
just how much scholarship money the Miss America Foundation really gives out each year.
In 2012, according to Oliver, the foundation gave out just $482,000 in cash scholarships,
nowhere near the amount "made available."
“Through it all: the swimsuits, the dance numbers, the inexplicable ventriloquism, it
was...it was very difficult not to think, ‘How the f--- is this still happening?’”
The foundation appears to use shady math to make it seem like they give away more money
than they really do.
However, Oliver admits the Miss America Foundation still seems to be the largest provider of
scholarships exclusively for women.
Single status only
Since the pageant bills itself as a scholarship competition, it seems strange that some women
still can't even participate.
After 1950, the pageant was closed to any woman who had been pregnant or married, but
in 1999 those rules were loosened so that women who are not currently pregnant or mothers
and are not married at the time of the competition are eligible.
In fact, the designation "Miss" in the title of the pageant suggests that the foundation
buys into the idea that something fundamental changes about a woman when she's married.
The exclusion of mothers and pregnant women — and the longtime barring of women who
had an abortion or miscarriage — may promote a judgmental attitude toward women's sexual
histories.
Song rights and wrongs
When it comes to the Miss America pageant, the traditional theme song was as iconic as
the rows of evening gowns.
"There she is, Miss America."
But listen closely, because you might notice that the number is no longer part of the pageant.
Back in 2012, the estate of Bernie Wayne, who composed the song in 1955, sued the pageant
for not licensing the song properly for its 2011 and 2012 events.
The case was settled out of court, but ever since then, the song has not been played after
the winner is announced.
Miss America's powerful men
For an organization that claims to promote the interest of women, it's worth noting that
the CEO and COO of the company are both men.
There are several female board members, but it's undeniable that men are some of the biggest
moneymakers from this all-female pageant, which brings questions about the pageant's
true goals into sharper focus.
Despite generating so much criticism and controversy over the last century, the Miss America pageant
still draws plenty of viewers annually on ABC.
Whether it's nostalgia for the heyday of beauty pageants or the simple appeal of attractive
women in bikinis, the Miss America pageant seems destined to continue pulling in viewers,
even if most Americans no longer believe the winner represents "our ideal."
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