Miss Massachusetts returns her crown after pageant mocks #MeToo movement

Heather Dockray
Updated

Pro tip to bad comedians everywhere: If you're thinking of making fun of the #MeToo movement, don't. You're guaranteed to bomb harder than you're already bombing.

The host of the Miss Massachusetts pageant learned that the hard way this weekend, after a pageant contestant, Maude Gorman, returned the crown she earned for Plymouth county. For some reason, the pageant emcee had thought it was funny to conclude with the pageant with a good ol' knock of the #MeToo movement.

SEE ALSO: Miss America could've never survived the #MeToo era if it kept scoring women's bodies

In the skit, the host asks the crowd why Miss America decided to eliminate the swimsuit competition. Then a character in the skit, who plays God, holds up a sign that says #MeToo.

In addition to being deeply offended, I'm mostly just confused by the sketch. Even as a stoned freshman in high school, I would have never written material this dumb. And I was dumb.

Gorman herself didn't watch the sketch but heard it from backstage.

Gorman has spoke about her experience as a survivor of sexual assault with the Boston Globe in 2015. Gorman was raped by three young men when she was 13, and has since struggled with PTSD. 

“I really felt betrayed,” Gorman told NBC Boston. “To mock a movement that has empowered survivors to stand up is inappropriate, and especially a women’s empowerment organization, should be unacceptable.”

Gorman explained her feelings further in an Instagram post, and says she's officially resigning her title of Miss Plymouth County 2018. 

Today, I officially resigned from the title of Miss Plymouth County 2018. While I’m grateful for the opportunities that @missamerica creates for young women, I am also internally conflicted; as the #metoo movement was mocked on stage during the final competition of Miss Massachusetts. As both a survivor, and advocate for victims rights and sexual violence on a whole, I refuse to stand idly by and simply “let this go”. Instead, I will stand up for every individual who has ever had the courage to speak out; and for every person who felt liberated by the #metoo movement. I will not allow ANYONE to take away that empowerment and liberation, or make it anything less than what it is: AMAZING. #metoo #missplymouthcounty #nomore #rainn #surviveandthrive

A post shared by Maude Gorman 🇺🇸 (@maudernliving) on Jul 5, 2018 at 9:03am PDT

Miss Massachusetts later apologized on Facebook for the skit, and claimed the skit was not in the script or approved by the board. 

The only beauty pageant we can all get behind is the Lithuanian goat beauty pageant held every year:

Thank you goats.

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