That’s right! Miss Teen USA has decided to let go of their swimsuit competition. In an effort to promote athleticism in a more appropriate way, they decided to replace it with athletic wear.
The Miss Teen USA system is known for their swimsuit competition which reflects the immense amount of work that girls put into their daily health and fitness. The confidence a woman has is visible on stage during this portion of the pageant, which adds value in including swimsuits.
On the national stage, girls from across the country have the opportunity to let their personalities show, making the swimsuit competition the most upbeat and interesting.
However, in a society like our own where citizens are not afraid to voice their opinions, topics like feminism arise. Miss Teen USA has included swimwear in their criteria for the past 33 years. This change will shake the face of pageantry. Many pageant systems that still hold the swimwear competition may embody this notion to eliminate it to show respect to women in our culture today.
In the teen division of the Miss Teen USA pageant, ages range from 14-19.
Substituting athletic wear for swimsuits isn’t as bad. This portion of the competition will be more age appropriate, and the contestants will still have the opportunity to strut their stuff and let their personalities shine through.
Hopefully this decision will promote getting fit and staying healthy and help diminish the status quo that skinnier bodies are better.
After all, pageants are meant to celebrate women and their accomplishments, especially the immense work done in their communities. If the swimsuit competition is not seen by society in ways it should, eliminating it may have been the best option. Times have changed and society has shaped our culture in ways we may not agree with, but we must adapt and keep moving forward. The Miss Teen USA Organization has reflected that.
