by Anna Yarbrough

Created on: April 05, 2009   Last Updated: April 06, 2009

Yes, Miss America is a body image role model, since Miss America is a multi-faceted role model encompassing, among other areas, a healthy body image, intellectual pursuits, and talent, not necessarily in that order. A healthy body is a worthy starting point for all other aspects of the role model since our health directly impacts intellectual capacities, our physical prowess, and even our interactions with others. To underestimate body image could potentially undermine all other areas of competition and life in general.

Have you ever noticed that often a good night's rest is more productive than pulling an all-nighter in order to perform well on a test? A good night's rest can enable your body to function optimally and help you achieve both mentally and physically. A rested mind is more alert and clear. Response to stimuli, physiologically and mentally, is quick and accurate when our bodies are healthy. This concept can be expanded to include most activities of daily living. This is solid rationale for Miss America as a role model to include body image as crucial criteria for competition.

Miss America pageant contestants are evaluated on their intelligence as demonstrated through thoughtful and insightful answers to questions posed to them. Generally speaking, if we are unwell and our body is not functioning at its best, even the brightest of us may not perform as well intellectually as we would when healthy.

Can an athlete, such as a ballerina, perform at peak potential if their body is impaired by illness? Would a concert pianist perform as flawlessly when ill as when well? Not likely. Therefore, even in the area of talent competition, Miss America must consider care of her body foremost.

I believe that healthy bodies come in a variety of shapes and sizes based on bone structure and other genetic factors. From what I've seen of Miss America over the years, variations of healthy body images have been at least as numerous as variations of talent among contestants, and should remain so. As one of many criteria evaluated for ranking in the Miss America Pageants, body image is at least as valuable an asset as the other criteria being evaluated by the judges. Consider a Miss America contestant whose bones protrude in a manner which would indicate possible malnutrition. Would not that body image have an impact on viewers as well as the judges? Of course it would! A healthy body image is a vital component of the Miss America role model.

Yes, Miss America is a body image role model.

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