[Wild Vulpix]

How do you feel about beauty pageants? A powerful tool to boost female confidence, or a slap in the face to the gender?

Before answering, I want to provide a small amount of info on how the pageants (or at least the Miss America pageants) are judged.

* Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit - 15%
* Evening Wear - 20%
* Talent - 35%
* Private Interview - 25%
* On-Stage Question – 5%

So that's:
35% - physical appearance
35% - Talent
30% - Personality and intelligence
(Private interviews are generally not shown to the public, but the on stage questions are.)

So what are your opinions?

[MindiV]

To me...they're just kind of....THERE. I don't find them empowering OR degrading....at least no more so than the women flaunting their bodies in Playboy or Maxim or whatever. They don't bother me at all.

[sprklemajik]

I don't find them degrading. I also think it's kind of nice that for some beauty pageants the prize is a scholarship -- pretty girls need college too

[Mikayla]

eh, I don't really think about them much. I don't find them degrading. I see it as a hobby girls get into..like gymnastics, or cheerleading, etc.

[JulieJ08]

I've never found them interesting enough to watch, so it's hard to have an informed opinion. Certainly my first inclination would have to be, there have to be heck of a lot better ways of boosting young women.

[RynKay]

I used to do beauty pageants. I think they have helped me in many different aspects in my life. I actually had a college admissions interview today, and used all the skills I gained from pageant interviews, and it went awesome!

[Shopaholic1204]

I grew up watching Miss America. I used to want to be one of those girls. Then I woke up and realized that we're all judged on that sort of thing every day. We're just not awarded a crown and money.