I admit right up front that I’m not a huge fan of beauty pageants, Miss Teen USA or otherwise. They teach girls that what is important is what you look like, how nice you can smile, and how politically correctly you can make small-talk on cue. Sure, they cushion it with talk about scholarships but John Oliver kindly blew that idea out of the water for us. And I’m sure it’s a great way to teach confidence and stage presence but so is Toastmasters, without any of the eating disorders and backstabbing.

Last month, Miss Teen USA announced that they were getting rid of the swimsuit portion of their competition and I really thought it was a step in the right direction. The Miss Universe Organization called the decision an “important cultural shift” and most of the world agreed with that statement. We were excited for the change! (And the ones that weren’t were mostly creepy dudes that wanted to look at scantily clad teenagers. Ew.)

But they big question was, instead of judging our teenage girls by their swimsuit-clad bodies, what will they be doing instead?

Yup. They’ll be judging their bodies in athletic wear. Specifically, Tapout x Goldsheep athletic wear.

So not only are they still being objectified, the 15-to-19-year-olds are now a paid sponsorship of objectification.

A Miss Universe statement says, “Miss Teen USA’s transition to athletic wear reads as less exploitative and more focused on the importance of physical fitness.

Not shockingly, when they asked the contestants what they think of the change, they’re all for it

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a huge believer in athletics. But can we be honest and admit they aren’t judging these girls on their athletic ability. They’re being judged on how they look in tight spandex.

Basically the same thing as the swimsuit competition but now with slightly more material.

The Miss USA pageant is happening in Las Vegas this Saturday, July 30th.

Filed under: beauty-pageant, fashion, miss-teen-usa, TV