The Miss America pageant is dropping the swimsuit competition, saying it will no longer judge contestants on their appearance but on 91裸聊视频渨hat makes you you.91裸聊视频�

The pageant began nearly 100 years ago as a bathing beauty contest to keep tourists coming to this seaside resort after Labor Day. But in recent decades, women91裸聊视频檚 groups and others have complained that making contestants parade across the stage in bathing suits and high heels is outdated, sexist and more than a little silly.

The announcement Tuesday came after a shake-up at the Miss America Organization that resulted in the top three leadership positions being held by women. The overhaul was triggered by an email scandal last December in which Miss America officials denigrated winners91裸聊视频� intelligence, appearance and sex lives.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e not going to judge you on your appearance because we are interested in what makes you you,91裸聊视频� Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America who became head of the organization91裸聊视频檚 board of trustees in the wake of the scandal, said in making the announcement on ABC91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频淕ood Morning America.91裸聊视频�

Carlson, whose sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes led to his departure, said the board had heard from potential contestants who lamented, 91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 want to be out there in high heels and swimsuits.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淕uess what?91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淵ou don91裸聊视频檛 have to anymore.91裸聊视频�

In place of the swimsuit competition, contestants will participate in an interactive session with the judges 91裸聊视频渨here she will highlight her achievements and goals in life and how she will use her talents, passion, and ambition to perform the job of Miss America,91裸聊视频� the organization said in a statement.

Carlson said the evening wear portion of the competition will also be changed to allow women to wear something other than a gown if they want.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 what comes out of their mouths that we care about,91裸聊视频� she said.

Leanza Cornett, Miss America 1993, supported the dropping of the swimsuit competition.

91裸聊视频淚 hated it,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 always felt awkward and uncomfortable.91裸聊视频�

She added: 91裸聊视频淚n the climate of #MeToo, I think it91裸聊视频檚 a really wise decision. We91裸聊视频檙e living in a different era now, and when we move forward for the empowerment of women, we will be taken much more seriously, and I think that91裸聊视频檚 huge.91裸聊视频�

Carlson said she is not worried ratings for the nationally televised broadcast might suffer. She said that the swimsuit portion is not the highest-rated portion and that viewers seem more interested in the talent competition.

The changes will start with this year91裸聊视频檚 broadcast on ABC on Sept. 9. Because many of the state and local competitions that decide the Miss America finalists have already begun, the dropping of the swimsuit portion will not take effect at those levels until next year91裸聊视频檚 competition, the organization said.

Carlson said the Miss America Organization will emphasize its role as a scholarship provider and is 91裸聊视频渘o longer a pageant.91裸聊视频�

Mallory Hytes Hagan, Miss America 2013, was a particular target of the emails, many of which ridiculed her weight gain after she won the title. In a Facebook video Tuesday, Hagan said she weighed 124 pounds when she was crowned. She said she is now 164 pounds, which she said most people would consider normal.

She is running for Congress in Alabama as a Democrat.

91裸聊视频淭here are tons of women across this country who are not 91裸聊视频榮wimsuit-ready91裸聊视频� who are doing some really bad-ass stuff in their communities,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e should be honouring them, and that doesn91裸聊视频檛 involve putting on a two-piece bathing suit and walking onstage in heels.91裸聊视频�

Wayne Parry, The Associated Press

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