What are your thoughts on the clinically obese Miss Alabama? Has unhealthy become the new beauty standard?

[coachTanthony]

[abc3643]

YOU NEED TO BE CLEAR AND ESTABLISH CONTEXT.

First, this young lady, Sara Milliken, is not "Miss Alabama" because, traditionally, "Miss Alabama" is within the "Miss America" pageant system. There's also a "Miss Alabama USA" who can win "Miss USA" who then competes in the "Miss Universe" pageant.

Ms. Milliken is the winner of the state pageant for Alabama in the "National American Miss" pageant system.
http://www.namiss.com/

This is what they state about themselves:
https://www.namiss.com/about/

===

OUR GOAL IS TO GROW CONFIDENCE

What is National American Miss?

National American Miss is a pageant unlike any other! Our goal is to Grow Confidence and teach Real World Skills. Check out some of these amazing things about NAM!

* NAM is a program based on the foundational principle of fostering positive self-image by enhancing natural beauty within.

* National American Miss is a program designed for today’s girl. We celebrate America’s greatness and the individuality of American girls.

* It is a program centered around helping young ladies grow and expand their ideas about who they are and what they want to achieve. We want every girl to realize that she truly can take hold of her dreams and make them real!

* National American Miss has friendly staff members who will guide you throughout your pageant experience. Each and every team member is committed to opening doors of opportunity for girls that aren’t available anywhere else.

* Our concert level sound and lighting is unsurpassed! You will be proud to invite your family and friends to rally around and support you on pageant weekend.

* A program that teaches valuable skills that will give you a competitive edge to succeed in whatever fields you may choose.

================

From The Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2015/05/25/national-american-miss-pageant-fact-checking-its-award-claims/

===

National American Miss pageant: Fact checking its award claims

By Glenn Kessler
May 25, 2015 at 3:00 a. m. EDT

This is a bit of departure for The Fact Checker, since we normally focus on political statements. A reader’s daughter received this letter in the mail; in fact, many students in the girl’s school received similar letters. Perhaps mindful of John Oliver’s takedown of the Miss America contest, the reader asked us to vet the numbers in the solicitation. (Note that the letter above has “college scholarships” in boldface type.) So we decided to investigate and are presenting the results as a reader service for families considering participation in National American Miss contests.

The Facts
The National American Miss is a pageant contest for girls in either five different age groups (at the state level) or six (at the national level), ranging from as young as age 4 to as old as 20. The organization bills itself as less of a “beauty pageant” and more as a way to help girls build confidence and communication skills. About 60 percent of the scoring is based on communications skills rather than appearance. For participants under the age of 12, there is a “no make-up” rule. (Here are some videos of recent competitions.)

================

So, given what the NAM pageant system and WashPo say it is, I have no problem with this young lady winning "Miss Alabama" for her age group in the NAM pageant system.

[coachTanthony]

They need to not copy the crown and title of another beauty pageant…. they know what they did!

[abc3643]

Don't be ridiculous. There are umpteen different pageants that do the same thing.

Regardless, you need to be clear in your questioning to eliminate ambiguity. The way you worded this question, it comes off as a troll. Either that or you did not do your due diligence since it is obvious that this young lady would not have been in the Miss America or Miss USA/Miss Universe pageant system.

[coachTanthony]

This young lady is beautiful and could easily try out for miss America…. how dare you assume because she is fat and obese she couldn’t live her dream.

[handsomelad70]

"Real World Skills?" Such as winning Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest since ubereater Joey Chestnut has been banned for signing with a vegan hot dog company?

[Lliam]

I'd hate to see that in a bathing suit.

My first thought was that it seems like everything possible is being done these days to eliminate the idea of feminine beauty. Men and obese women winning women's beauty pageants? It's an insult to women.

Then I looked it up and, in fairness, this was the "National American Miss Pageant", not the Miss America Pageant.

"Our goal is to Grow Confidence and teach real world skills. [Our] program [is] based on the foundational principle of fostering positive self-image by enhancing natural beauty within."

"Scoring in the pageant is based on 'personality, confidence and communication', according to organizers.

"Braces, glasses, skin problems, varying heights, weights and appearances, are all a part of creating the special and unique individual that you are and that we want to celebrate,' the website states. "

So I guess this particular pageant is targeted at a specific audience.

[Lliam]

Thanks for the MHO, coach.

[jennifer_bloom]

It's easy to explain - When you select an obese candidate - news stations talk about you and you no longer need to spend money on advertising to promote your beauty pageant.

Madonna was one of the first modern musicians to use controversy to promote her music when she could not afford to advertise her music using ads. Now millions have copied her.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Damn man, your questions have been devolving from good stuff to just ragebait. It’s like watching the downfall of a celebrity that was supposed to be a good guy. What a shame.

[coachTanthony]

Legitimate question here.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

If that’s the case, I’m sorry the world has turned you into such a hateful man

[coachTanthony]

You assume a lot and that is unfortunate

[Dongie]

The hate is the user's of wokeness on society. They distort their view of reality, thinking it makes it real.

[legalboxers]

@coachTanthony
www.youtube.com/watch

Im gonna put this right here...

[ClaircognizantEmpath]

hi, uk here and lets say tin foil hat in situ... if you look up videos of the current health ministers across the big players, they are mostly obese? now if thats not some kind of agenda i dont know what is? and no matter how i have ever felt about skinny unhealthy model body influence, im also very unsure of the new media narrative that over weight and obese is all so cool... im a smoker and will only drink original soft drinks that contain real sugar and maybe caffeine, with no artificial junk... so i pay extra tax on both of my choices... unyet as a smoker if i call upon the nhs medical services because of smoking i would feel ashamed, however, obese, over weight people, who over 90% is it by choice, not medical reasons, its putting unhealthy food choices combined with lifestyle choices over and over leading to obesity... im frankly sick and tired of the unfairness and not calling people out on their own lack of control... HOWEVER, the system is set up for unhealthy food, which leads to dis-ease, then pharma steps in and re-peat... they make money all the way, no matter, so at the end of the day, we have to realise our own boundaries and try our best to live by them...

[Miristheiss]

she is morbidly obese and must have tons of health problems and issues with her organs.

I don't know anything about this pageant, it must be one based 100% on personality and not have any fitness or physical beauty standards. A regular pageant, the ones that have existed for 60 years or so, she shouldn't even be allowed as a contestant.

[handsomelad70]

Maybe as a judge.

[strateguy632]

and rewarding negligence about health is a horrible lesson to teach people.

[AviatorTom]

She is not Miss Alabama, that title name is owned by the Miss America Pageant. Her actual title is Miss National American Alabama, and other beauty pageant participants (Miss America, Miss USA) are saying they have no idea what that pageant is.

Could be just an attempt at cheap publicity.

[handsomelad70]

Oh, but still...

[FunkyMonkee]

She's, basically, a sympathy fuck. They feel sorry for her being such a fat hog, they gave her the prize over someone that was actually worth it and worked her ass off to get it.
Okay, this cow IS pretty and would probably be even moreso if SHE worked off her ass several times over but, the point of the contest is to be as attractive and sexy as you can and to be a role model for other girls growing up!! The only "role" she's a model for is how to be a fat pig or how to "roll" across the floor if you fall over!! The only exercise she gets is lifting all that food to her mouth and the workouts she must get while walking having to heft around all that fat everywhere she goes! Someone should stick a fishing rod down the back of her shirt and dangle a hamburger from it in front of her just out of her reach and have her run off those pounds trying to chase after it!

[pascal_climbs]

Every body has the right to be considered beautiful. Whether your body is in a healthy or unhealthy shape is a personal decision, but may also be dictated by an underlying disease.

[coachTanthony]

You can't extract beauty from health. They go hand in hand.

[_piotr]

There is no such right.

[handsomelad70]

My error, Miss Alabama. Still, she's the (three, if not four) posterS girl for 2024's Body Positivity zeitgeist.

[HawkPerception]

Go back 20 years.. They would highly disagree with you

[handsomelad70]

@HawkPerception Don't care.

[HawkPerception]

@handsomelad70 what part of my comment mad you think I was addressing you?

[HawkPerception]

@handsomelad70 made***

[handsomelad70]

@HawkPerception Sorry, HawkPerception. We oldsters sometimes get stuff wrong.

[HawkPerception]

@handsomelad70 not a problem bud... just note that unless someone @وحیدیژخمدلهکنا you, there's a likely chance they're not responding to you, but the person who posted the original comment. It applies to every social media platform and online forums as well.

[HawkPerception]

Whoa just learned @ + s makes some random Arabic looking text on mobile

[handsomelad70]

First four-chinned (maybe three, but SURELY more than one) Miss America I ever saw. Body positivity has now achieved critical mass.( "MASS" being the operative word here !!! Never dreamt a Miss America would be half again my size; she's likely three bills to my two.)

[BetaBucks]

I think this is about being nice to her instead of the constant feeling of inadequacy she feels over her terrible life choices and eating habits. Hard to say if this is good, or will speed up her health decline. Even worse, it could actually encourage more obesity, and therefore more pain, suffering and early death. But maybe that what western society needs and deserves. I don't know

[Anonymous]

Everything is The Emporer's New Clothes these days, we see something with our own eyes and they tell us it's something else and scream bloody murder if we disagree.

[TonyMetal___86]

This ain't beauty at all, instead of focusing on her health, they are focusing on imaginary things only, like telling her you're wonderful, while we know that she ain't wonderful at all!

[Dongie]

Maybe they talked to her about the elephant in the room. No pun intended.

[TonyMetal___86]

@Dongie elephant is too much, that's not what i meant, all they have to do is not to lie on her about her excessive weight, if they truly care about her than they will help her to make her healthy because at this weight she will suffer from a lot of diseases at early age!

[Dongie]

That was my point. I just used those words. Something that's obvious, Tony, is sometimes referred to as the elephant in the room.

[legalboxers]

Issue 1 : Who declared her "clinically obese"
Issue 2: If she got to be Miss Alabama. aren't most of those who live there are?
Issue 3: If people think she is beautiful, then whom are we to judge

[coachTanthony]

What does it matter WHO declared her clinically obese? If I tell you the Doctor then what will you say? You can obviously see with your own eyes she is clinically obese.

[legalboxers]

So if I tell you that your presumptive nominee is batshit crazy even after injecting bleach in his body, people say he is insane. But you dont..

[coachTanthony]

No clue what you’re going on about

[legalboxers]

mhm..

[electromagnetic]

It’s cause society is full of ass kissers who don’t wanna speak the truth.

[HappyWoman34]

I think it’s good that they’re picking fatter and bigger models. Not everyone is small and slim.

[HawkPerception]

You're being sarcastic, right? 😅

[HappyWoman34]

@HawkPerception no I’m not. Most women don’t have perfect bodies. I don’t look it, but I’m obese (1 dress size bigger than I should be); due to weight gaining meds and I was offered a career as a plus sized model. Women are getting bigger and fatter.

[HawkPerception]

And that's not a good thing. It is unhealthy and unattractive.

[HappyWoman34]

@HawkPerception I agree. However, since it’s going to happen anyway, I see the statement they’re making. That big can be beautiful, too. I think not only is it true (I’m big and get compliments about my beauty); sometimes, it’s also teaching young people not to see women as sex symbols and to value each other purely on how a woman looks on the outside. I’m sure you’ve noticed on tv that men get to be as fat, old or bald as they want and it’s women who have to always look perfect? To me, that’s not healthy. There will always be big or fat people in the world, some of whom like me, can’t help it, due to medication weight gain and others of whom like me are naturally big.

[HappyWoman34]

We want to be inclusive to those who may not look as good as they would if they were slim, who may be good people, do we not?

[HappyWoman34]

See, I think that’s the statement they’re making, a refusal to see women as sex objects. They’re not literally trying to imply that women that fat are beautiful.

[HawkPerception]

Physical attraction will always be a thing. We are biologically attracted to certain features. The majority of people find the same features attractive and that's why those people are models.

Just because we're more attracted to specific people does not mean we only see the opposite gender as sex objects. As long as you're kind, I'll treat you kindly and with respect. It doesn't matter how attractive you are. If you're a rude and terrible person, you do not deserve respect or kindness towards you.

It does not change the fact that they are physically attractive and healthier. Healthy bodies is what should be encouraged. Not obesity.

You don't see me crying because I wasn't born with Henry Cavill or Chris Hemsworth features. I deal with what I have and workout and eat healthy to the best of my ability.

[HappyWoman34]

@HawkPerception I think you’re missing the point I’m making and the point they were making.

[HappyWoman34]

But it’s okay; we might have to agree to disagree 😊

[HawkPerception]

Fair enough

[exitseven]

They let guys enter beauty contests so might as well let fat people compete too.

[HawkPerception]

Lmao the plague is spreading

[exitseven]

@HawkPerception it really is. I thought that the US is the only place that had this nonsense.

[HawkPerception]

Nope apparently many parts of Europe and it's in Canada where I live too

[HawkPerception]

Man mental illness seems to be a plague in the west

[avery58]

It's stupid to encourage feeling comfortable with obesity. People should care about their weight not because of looks but because they should want to be healthy.

[avery58]

I mean more power to them if they do take care of their looks, I like to take care as well, but health is a priority. Health is way more important, looking good takes a distant second compared to. So being overweight shouldn't be a beauty standard.

[Dongie]

No comment. Except those liberals ARE so tolerant. Never miss a chance to prove how tolerant thay are to everybody that isn't a liberal as they try to force their will upon us, the sane.

[handsomelad70]

"LIBERALS?" I'm as left as it gets without being certifiable and I think it BS.

[Dongie]

Heh, yeah. Why do you think it happened. The...

[Dongie]

Hey, I'm unhappy and am a good 15 pounds over weight. What can I get to make me smile? Remember, I'm not of the left.

[HelpfulWoman]

i mean, "healthy" wasn't really a thing in beauty pageants anyway

[msc545]

That does not do her or any unhealthy obese person any favors.

[FreyaRed]

She is beautiful. How can girls with thin Ratajkowski butt like me compete? XD

[strateguy632]

if she did not win it would be body shame so they had to.