I remember watching the pageant on my stomach on the carpet: One of my favorite television events of the year. There was the talent portion, the interview, the evening gown. Your ideal, they sang. And sure enough–girls around the nation wondered just like I did: Could I ever do that?
Four kids later, I no longer aspire to Miss America. Sometimes I just aspire to satisfy my clients, get my kids showered and all wearing underwear at the same time, keep the house from burning down.
But for other little girls? Things just got easier.
This past Tuesday, the Miss America competition ousted their swimsuit competition for the first time since the first contest on the Atlantic City boardwalk in 1921. The competition’s new director, Gretchen Carlson, has become synonymous with the takedown of her former boss at Fox news, the notorious Roger Ailes, for his decades of sexual harassment of women on staff.
I’m thinking, Brava, Miss America, for eliminating a bit of the external from the ideal. But what if we didn’t stop there?
What does it look like for each of us to disregard the bigger “swimsuit competition” far deeper within our culture, our daughters, our sons?
What about the one…within me?
I’m writing about this on FamilyLife.com today. Hop on over and check it out!
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