The Miss Teen USA competition announced on Wednesday that its young contestants will no longer have to wear swimsuits, as organizers issued a frank statement tacitly acknowledging that the tradition is seen as exploitative and mentioned a word rarely promoted around the pageant circuit: feminism.
The annual American beauty contest for 15- to 19-year-olds, to be held next in Las Vegas on 30 July, will substitute “athletic wear” for the controversial swimwear round at this year’s event.
In an apparent U-turn within the pageant world, which has long garnered bitter criticism for objectifying girls and women, it was announced that the Miss Teen USA event is making an “important cultural shift”.





























