Got Courage?

I'm starting to think freedom of speech is not so free.

A few weeks ago I sat down to watch the 2010 Miss USA pageant. Following the swim suit and evening gown portions was the dreaded on-stage question- a high-prssure moment where my heart starts to pound and I hold my breath until it's over. You see, I had my time competing in two low-level pageants in college, so I empathize for the contestants who perform live, for the entire country to watch.

First Miss Michigan tripped over her dress in the evening gown portion of the competition. Next for her on-stage question she talked about how birth control insurance companies should cover birth control because OB-GYNs provide it for free, and that birth control is costly. Well yes monthly pills may be costly, but you just said you could get it for free. You're not making sense, Michigan.

As she tried to make sense out of her answer, my dad compared her over-the-top slang to a Kanye West wannabe. Soon after, she inserted a quick "Hi mom!" into the microphone before the hosts could stop her. Miss USA is supposed to graceful, intelligent, dignified and charming. The judges must have seen something I didn't though, because Miss Michigan was swiftly named the next 2010 Miss USA.


"What are you going to do now that you have the title?" the emcees asked her post-crowning. "I'm going to eat a pizza!" she declared. No important business, humanitarian work or meetings to attend huh Miss Michigan?

But that's just a sidenote.

The winner, I expected, should have been Miss Oklahoma- who exercised every quality a queen should have. Her question: Does Arizona have the right to pass an anti-illegal immigration law or were they infringing on the rights of the federal government? Miss Oklahoma's conservative answer- that she is a big supporter of states' rights and so Arizona did have the right to pass the law. She said racial profiling is a concern, but that it is a very difficult topic.

Miss Oklahoma said what she believed, and stuck to it- despite boos heard from the audience. I thought she answered with an intelligent and honest response. But rumor states that her answer to the on-stage question cost her the crown.


Of course Miss USA contestants judged for their performance. Every detail adds up to whether or not they "deserve" the crown. My problem is the fact that some girls are completely honest about their beliefs (a quality I was taught to emulate as I prepared for pageants myself), and if a judge does not agree with a certain opinion, they receive a poor score, therefore crushing their chances of winning the title.

Last year Miss California Carrie Prejean lost the crown from her answer to a gay marriage question. Because she believes that marriage should only be legal for a man and a woman, judge (and flamin' gay) Perez Hilton, gave her a zero for her answer, therefore costing her the title. Why should a judge be able to flunk a contestant for her personal beliefs? Yes she is Miss California, and I understand how her answer looks coming from a state that had passed Proposition 8 mere 5 months prior to the night of the pageant. But that's not what Miss California believes.

In a competition that judges each girl on her individuality, why is an individual answer punished?

As I stood on stage in my own beauty pageant a year ago, I was asked the same question as Miss California. Among my many peers in attendance was also my roommate- who happened to be lesbian. In that moment I was scared to speak my beliefs and I considered giving the answer I figured they wanted to hear. But instead I took a breath and expressed my beliefs. I did not win the title of Miss Dixie that night, and I doubt it had anything to do with the answer to my question. But it was difficult to do even in an amature competition with little viewers, and I wonder if I could still stand for what I believe in when I know my answer could very much hurt my future.


As I watched Prejean on TV in the comfort of my home, my roommates and friends piped in to ridicule her answer. Even then with few people to stand up to, I was embarrassed to admit that I felt the same way. For that I greatly admired Miss California's courage. I hoped that she would win the crown- to show young girls all over America that it is important to stand up for what you believe in.

I feel for those women- those girls who spoke their heart, and now have to live with the consequences of their answer. I wonder how it would feel to work so hard perfecting your speech, your body, your knowledge, your mannerisms for years, and then watch it all fall apart before your eyes. Not because of a mistake or a flaw in your performance, but because someone didn't agree with your opinion.

These instances show that standing up for your beliefs and disagreeing with the crowd will make you less than popular. In fact many times you will stand alone as you face ridicule from those in a large and spacious building. They will taunt you and laugh at you for your actions.

But we must not heed them.