The End of Miss America?

Yesterday, a big story broke that has rocked a community I'm very proud to be a part of. 

The CEO of the Miss America Organization was exposed as having endorsed and/or written offensive and derogatory statements about various Miss Americas. He was suspended and then resigned. 

 More than anything else in this situation, I am fiercely proud of the way current and former titleholders have closed ranks in solidarity with our sisters. 

As I tweeted last night, if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us. 

Miss America will survive this as the family that we are.

Here's a link to the details. 

Which brings me to what spurred me to write this post.

This opinion piece in the New York Times. 

Here's the thing. I agree with Jennifer Weiner about a lot of things, generally. I don't disagree with much of what she writes in this piece. My problem with it is that while she might be a self identified "pageant fan",  she obviously does not know my people. 

This crisis is not the end of Miss America. 

I've written before about how much "That Whole Miss America Thing" has meant in my life, but I want to be as clear as possible right now. 

I would not be the person I am today without having been Miss Vermont. I will forever be grateful for and proud of that experience. For. ev. er. 

One thing that really infuriates me about Ms. Weiner's piece is that she has the audacity to tell other women how they're allowed to express their femininity. 

HELL NO. 

I enjoy wearing makeup. I enjoy wearing evening gowns. I LIKE expressing myself in traditionally feminine ways- even if it IS "femininity as spectacle". It's FUN. 

Incidentally, I happen to ADORE drag shows and respect the heck out of those queens too- a lot of pageant girls do. Who do you think is teaching us all of our makeup tricks? 

If you're a woman who DOESN'T enjoy this stuff (have you met my mom? Have you met MOST women from where I'm from?) than that's perfectly fine too! Pageantry isn't mandatory. 

I would NEVER assume that what's right for me is right for all women. 

The other big thing about the piece that really grinds my gears is the idea that this is somehow the "end" of Miss America. 

Maybe it would be if Miss America were "just" a pageant. 

Maybe it would be if an organization devoted to empowering women needed a man to run it. 

Maybe it would be if the grassroots of the organization relied on the people at the top. 

Luckily, none of that is the case. 

Miss America is not about a pageant. 

Miss America is not about one woman who wears a crown. 

Miss America isn't about swimsuits, or spray tans, or teased hair. 

Miss America is about genuine sisterhood. 

Miss America is about a close knit community of people who believe in women and because of that they give and give and give and give. 

Miss America is about empowering women to be themselves on stage and off. 

Look, I'm a liberal Democrat. I attended Liberal Arts colleges. I've taken Gender Studies classes and loved them. I'm an outspoken feminist. 

I get that there are many many complex and problematic elements when it comes to pageantry as a whole and the history of Miss America in particular. I truly understand that. 

At the end of the day, this program is about building women up in a society that is constantly trying to tear them down. 

It's about teaching young women that their voices matter, and teaching them how to speak up with courage and skill. It's about developing relationships with women who will be your "ride or die" friends forever. They'll take you in or rush to your side when they find out you've experienced tragedy. They'll dance with you at your wedding. They'll be your army when you need one at your back. 

I don't know what's coming next for this organization, but I do know that it will be driven by the passion of empowered women. 

The end of Miss America? Oh HELL no. 

Ten Outstanding Years

Ten years ago, I was a slightly awkward overachieving High School Senior with a love of public speaking and musical theatre. 

A friend of mine suggested I try pageants, and after I was done laughing at the idea I went all in. 

The result was this:

I was crowned Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen 2007 and I had so much fun that year. 

My year of service taught me so many new skills that a lot of girls take for granted.

How to walk in high heels.

How to use a blow dryer.

How to apply mascara. 

I learned the basics of presenting myself in public, of having a public presence, and I earned scholarships that helped pay for my college expenses. 

I gained sisters. 

Eight months later we would be Chi Omega sisters as well. 

Fun fact: this photo features a future Miss SD, a future Miss KY, and a future Miss MS among others.
We were young. They gave us a limo in Las Vegas. What else would we do?

I met people from all over Vermont. 

I even won an award at Miss America's Outstanding Teen- Non Finalist Interview. 

Most importantly, being Miss VT's OT taught me that I wanted to be Miss Vermont someday and made me ready to take on that job when my time came a few years later. 

Miss Vermont 2007 and Miss Vermont 2010!

I am an enthusiastic proponent of the Miss America's Outstanding Teen program. Over the ten years since I got involved it has changed, grown, and I've watched hundreds of young women benefit from the scholarships and skills they have earned through the national program and programs at the state and local levels. 

Tonight a new Miss Vermont and a new Miss Vermont's Outstanding Teen will join our sisterhood and I can't wait to welcome them both with open arms!

If you have a teen girl at home, I hope you'll consider encouraging her to get involved.  

That Whole Miss America Thing

Six years ago today, I was on national television. 

Most days it still feels impossible that I was *actually* Miss Vermont. 

Like, how on EARTH did a pale nerd become someone competing to be "the queen of femininity" at twenty years old?

Spot the Vermonter.

Being a former (forever) Miss State is a weird thing.

You're a celebrity with a very specific group of people.

You're part of one of the most elite sororities in the world. 

You can never really leave it behind you, even if you wanted to.

Being Miss Vermont will always be a part of my identity.
It has shaped too much of my life for it to become some "fun fact" that I hide most of the time. 

And for all of that, I'm so grateful.

But as always, what I'm most grateful for are these women.


 (To this day I can't watch this without crying and having flashbacks.)


We met a lifetime ago when we were all so young.
Now we've gotten degrees, gotten married, had kids, gotten divorced, bought houses, started careers, changed careers, starred in hit musicals, starred in TV shows, become lawyers and doctors and so many more things.

So here we are- another year into forever as part of one of the most hilarious, most interesting, and most fun Miss America classes to ever rock that runway. We've come a long way from Las Vegas, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Thanks stars.