As a judge in Monday's Miss UF Pageant, I was disappointed to see the Alligator take an uninformed and negative stance on such a positive event.
The worst part of your coverage was the uninformed editorial. UF should be proud to put its name on an event that promotes positive traits in young women. It celebrates women, such as Brooke and Sarah, as positive role models for young girls to counteract the negative ones they see on television. In order to win a pageant as large as this one, a woman must not only be smart, talented and attractive, she must serve her community and be passionate about that work.
To call it a "beauty" pageant implies that the five of us sat in the front row and picked the hottest girl we saw. I wish it were that easy. Yes, we do have categories that determine how a contestant looks in swim and evening wear, but in order to win this title you must be well-rounded.
This means keeping one's self in good physical shape and looking elegant in formal occasions. But more than half of the final score is determined by talent and private interview, meaning that you do not have to be fashion-model skinny to be Miss America, just healthy.
The young ladies I have met in my nine years involved with the Miss America system have far and away been the most intelligent, personable and professionally driven that I have encountered. They all aspire to be independently successful, to better their communities, and to be positive role models to young women everywhere. If UF does not want to put its name on a program like that, then you have to wonder what the school does want out of its female student body.
I would ask you take a little time to see what exactly you are criticizing before you make blanket statements. To do so borders on condescension to not only the 22 women who participated, but to myself, my fellow judges, the ladies who put on Monday's pageant and the thousands of volunteers who make up this country's largest provider of scholarship money to women, the Miss America Organization. On behalf of all of us, I have to say the Alligator definitely got this one wrong.
