ATLANTIC CITY, N. J. (AP) \u2014 The Miss America Organization is dropping the swimsuit competition, saying it will no longer judge contestants on their appearance.\u2026<\/b>
\nATLANTIC CITY, N. J. (AP) \u2014 The Miss America Organization is dropping the swimsuit competition, saying it will no longer judge contestants on their appearance.
The competition began nearly 100 years ago in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as a bathing beauty contest designed to keep tourists coming to the seaside resort in the weekend after Labor Day.
But it has run into resistance to the swimsuit, and to a lesser extent, evening gown competitions, that had come by some to be seen as outdated. An email scandal last December in which former Miss America officials denigrated the intelligence, appearance and sex lives of former title winners led to a shake-up at the top, and the group\u2019s top three leadership positions are now held by women.
\u201cWe\u2019re not going to judge you on your appearance because we are interested in what makes you you,\u201d Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America who is head of the organization\u2019s board of trustees, said while making the announcement Tuesday on \u201cGood Morning America.\u201d
Carlson, whose sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes led to his departure, said the board has heard from potential contestants saying, \u201cWe don\u2019t want to be out there in high heels and swimsuits.\u201d
\u201cGuess what?\u201d she said. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to anymore.\u201d
Asked if she is worried ratings for the nationally televised broadcast might suffer because of the elimination of swimsuits, Carlson said she is not. She said that the swimsuit portion is not the highest rated section of the broadcast and that viewers seem to be more interested in the talent competition.
She also said the group will make changes to the evening wear portion of the competition, adding it will not judge women on their chosen attire.
\u201cIt\u2019s what comes out of their mouths that we care about,\u201d she said.
The changes will start with this year\u2019s broadcast on Sept. 9.
Carlson said the Miss America Organization will emphasize its role as a scholarship provider.
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