NEW ORLEANS – As Miss Louisiana 2017 wraps up her reign, she gave her thoughts on the Miss America competition’s decision to drop the swimsuit portion of the pageant.
Earlier this week, the Miss America pageant announced that it was dropping the swimsuit competition saying it will no longer judge contestants on their appearance.
"We're not going to judge you on your appearance because we are interested in what makes you you," Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America who is head of the organization's board of trustees, said while making the announcement Tuesday
Miss Louisiana Laryssa Bonacquisti was the last contestant to win the swimsuit competition during the 2017 Miss America competition. During an interview with WWL-TV’s Eric Paulsen, Bonacquisti said she did not feel demeaned by the swimsuit portion.
“It was probably the most confident I have ever been in my entire life,” Bonacquisti said. “Fitness did not come easy to me. I’m not naturally what people would consider thin. But, it made me more conscious about how to live a healthy lifestyle.”
Although the pageant’s decision was praised on social media, Bonacquisti said she thinks that the viewers will miss the swimsuit portion.
Carlson said she is not worried ratings for the nationally televised broadcast might suffer because of the elimination of swimsuits. She said that the swimsuit portion is not the highest rated section of the broadcast and that viewers seem to be more interested in the talent competition.
In place of the swimsuit competition, contestants will participate in an interactive session with the judges "where she will highlight her achievements and goals in life and how she will use her talents, passion, and ambition to perform the job of Miss America," the organization said in a statement.
Carlson also said the group will make changes to the evening wear portion of the competition, adding it will not judge women on their chosen attire.
When asked if she thinks contestants should choose to wear swimsuits, Bonacquisti said, “absolutely.”
“I think it should be whatever you feel most confident in,” Bonacquisti said. “If you feel most confident in wearing a swimsuit, I say, ‘ go for it.’”
The competition began nearly 100 years ago in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as a bathing beauty contest designed to keep tourists coming to the seaside resort the weekend after Labor Day.
The changes will start with this year's broadcast on Sept. 9.
Associated Press reporter Wayne Parry contributed to this report.