David Morgan
Atlantic City, New Jersey - Less than 24 hours after word spread that the Miss America Pageant would accept divorcees and women who had undergone abortions, beleaguered contest officials on Tuesday showed signs of retreating before an onslaught of protests.
After blistering criticism from former Miss Americas, ex-contestants and state pageant directors, the Miss America Organisation promised to negotiate with outraged pageant officials across the United States.
"My goal is to find a solution that all parties will be comfortable with, as soon as possible," said Miss America Organisation chief executive, Robert Beck.
"We have agreed to engage in dialogue with our franchisees to explore possible alternatives that ensure we are compliant with applicable law and consistent with the traditional values associated with Miss America."
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The 79-year-old beauty and talent contest, which only last year began allowing contestants to wear two-piece bathing suits, dropped a half-century-old ban against women who have been married or pregnant, causing an uproar among supporters who believe Miss America should be a symbol of purity and respectability.
"It's about adopting a role model. Not to say that someone who's had an abortion can't be a role model. But I would rather my daughter looked up to someone who's made responsible decisions in her life," said Miss District of Columbia 1998, Nicole Messina.
The Miss America Organisation's board of directors adopted new rules last month, that require contestants to sign a document asserting that they are unmarried, not pregnant and have no living children.
The changes, due to take effect next year, would open the door to women who are divorced, who have had abortions or who have had children that have died.
Officials said new rules were needed to protect the annual extravaganza from prosecution under a New Jersey law that bars discrimination.
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