There she was : the secret history of Miss America

Ключевые слова

Тематические рубрики

• Socio-cultural activities in the field of leisure
• Miss America Pageant - History
• Beauty contests - United States - History
• Beauty contestants - United States - History

Аннотация

An editor for The Washington Post's Style section offers a look back on the Miss America pageant as it approaches its 100th anniversary, spotlighting how it has survived decades of social and cultural change and redefined itself alongside evolving ideas of feminism. For all of its pomp and kitsch, the Miss America pageant is indelibly written into the American story of the past century. From its origins as a summer's-end tourist draw, it blossomed into a televised extravaganza and was once considered the highest honor that a young woman could achieve. Argetsinger spotlights how the pageant survived decades of social and cultural change, collided with a women's liberation movement that sought to abolish it, and redefined itself alongside evolving ideas about feminism. In doing so, she charts the evolution of the American woman, dissects the scandals and financial turmoil that have repeatedly threatened to kill the pageant-- and highlights the unexpected sisterhood of Miss Americas fighting to keep it alive