| 
| 
| |
31/01/2018
417 | 
0
By Jennifer Kliese
Jan 30, 2018 2:59 AM
MADISON (WKOW) -- About a month after a sexual harassment scandal rocked the Miss America organization, a new leader emerges, bringing hope to local women involved in the pageant.
Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson is taking over after the former CEO was accused of sending inappropriate emails about contestants, at a time when the "Me Too" movement to stop sexual harassment is growing.
As Carlson leads the organization in a new direction, those involved in Miss Wisconsin are looking toward the future.
"I think this will all be for the better and I think that women across the country will really start to see that Miss America is about giving women a voice," said McKenna Collins, the current Miss Wisconsin.
Collins, from Waunakee, took a chance last year and joined the local competition. Her chance at a scholarship ended up changing her life, as Collins was crowned Miss Wisconsin. She traveled to compete in the national Miss America pageant in September.
That event was just months before misconduct emails against the CEO broke in the news. Sam Haskell resigned after emails were leaked, disparaging former winners about their weight and sexual activity.
Carlson, who was one of the first to come out with sexual harassment claims at Fox News, has stepped up to lead the organization following this scandal. She cleared out the board overseeing the pageant and picked Wisconsin's own former Miss America Laura Kaeppeler Fleiss to join the team.
In the first month, Carlson also reached out to local chapters, vowing to be more open and transparent.
"I think anything, including the pageantry world, is going to require more scrutiny from people. People are going to need to look at it carefully and make their own decisions," said Jeanne Schmal, who has been director of Miss Wisconsin for eight years.
Schmal says the local programs have changed since she earned her title four decades ago. It was once just about beauty, but now has become a competition to support young women in Wisconsin. She says it's a stereotype they've been fighting for years.
"We do we have to fight it every day," Schmal told 27 News. "I think we have to do a better job of educating people. We have to get the word out and let them know what we're all about."
Miss Wisconsin McKenna Collins says the work she does every day in the community is what's most important for her.
"It's not about the beauty it's not about parading around in a swimsuit," Collins said. "My favorite part of this job is the daily interactions with adults and children alike. I see kids light up when I walk into a classroom and they say they want to be Miss Wisconsin and I have the opportunity to talk to them about all the wonderful things I've learned in this job."
Miss Wisconsin officials say they have not gotten any specific directives from the Miss America organization regarding sexual harassment policies. The state chapter plans to follow the lead of the national organization and will pass down any information to local pageants, too.
COMENTÁRIOS - Clique aqui para fazer o seu
