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April 2009 That Reminds Me
'Our ideal'
 by Emily Schilling
Editor
When Miss America 2009 Katie Stam was a little girl, she watched the Miss America pageant.
So did I. Of course, the first pageant I saw was 20 years before Katie was even born. I saw it on a black and white screen and the legendary Bert Parks was host.
Miss America to a 7-year-old girl like me was a Barbie doll come to life, a perfectly beautiful princess. She was as Parks crooned, “your ideal,” the woman who little girls emulated, and who little boys secretly adored.
As I grew up, with the women’s movement at its peak, pageants drew criticism from feminists who objected to having women judged — on live TV, no less — for their beauty and their bodies. (The swimsuit competition has been a mainstay of the pageant since its beginning in 1921.)
Yet the Miss America Pageant persevered, adapting to the times, emphasizing that unlike stereotypical “beauty” pageants like Miss USA (and its sister pageant, Miss Universe), it also focused on brains. Scholarships are awarded not only to winners, but to finalists.
One of my all-time favorite movies is “Miss Congeniality,” a takeoff on pageants like Miss America. My favorite scene is Sandra Bullock’s “a ha” moment when she realizes how beneficial her experience as a Miss United States contestant has been.
Never having been in a pageant, I can’t validate what Bullock’s character, Gracie Hart, said. But, I can tell you that every Miss Indiana participant I have met would be a tremendous role model for today’s little girls. The contestants, all local pageant winners, have been poised and intelligent, as well as pretty — and, to top it off, nice.
When talking with Katie Stam for this month’s cover story, I was struck by how beautiful she is, not only on the outside, but more importantly on the inside. She’s humble and well-spoken, with strong values. Proving that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, her parents are just as charming and down-to-earth as she is. Katie is the girl we can be proud to have representing our state — and now our country.
The Miss America Pageant of my childhood has evolved into a reality show and interactive Web site — as well as a televised competition. Though Miss America has moved into the 21st century, its core goal is still finding someone to showcase the best and brightest of today’s young women — not only to inspire little girls, but their parents and grandparents, too.
Written By: eceditor
Date Posted: 3/25/2009
Number of Views: 548
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