‘About time.’ Miss America pageant eliminates swimsuits and fans have strong reactions

“There goes any reason for watching that.” “Women should NOT be objectified.” The Miss America pageant is eliminating the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and while many Yahoo commenters are (very) skeptical of the new look, some are voicing strong support. Gretchen Carlson, chairwoman of the Miss America board of directors, announced the major changes on “Good Morning America” Tuesday morning. “We will no longer judge our candidates on their outward physical appearance,” Carlson said. “It’s going to be what comes out of their mouth that we’re interested in, when they talk about their social impact initiatives.” The GMA story on Yahoo has generated thousands of comments, with the majority of the top reactions saying they see little reason to continue the competition: “Just cancel the whole thing,” one commenter wrote. “The concept is outdated.” “Well there goes their ratings,” expressed another. But others see it as progress: “About time,” one post reads. “Most people have forgotten that Miss America pageant is not a beauty pageant, it's a scholarship pageant,” noted one person. The big changes will debut with the next Miss America competition on Sept. 9. Miss America was founded in 1921 and has featured a swimsuit portion in every event. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.