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Miss USA versus Miss America: What's the difference between beauty pageants? A look at their intertwined past

In terms of scholarship opportunities, the winner of Miss America takes home approximately $50,000 scholarship money along with a six-figure salary

Miss USA and Miss America, though both beauty pageants by category of event, have an intertwined history, but also, some striking differences that set them apart. As the country waits for the fresh new face of Miss USA 2020, let's take a look at how both the pageants are different. 

Miss USA and Miss America, both the titles have their fair share of glam and buzz, as well as a promising ticket to an exciting future. For the former, it is the opportunity to head on to Miss Universe and compete for the international crown whereas, for the latter, it comes with a scholarship opportunity and salary along with the crown.

Miss America

Miss America originally started as a stage to promote and invest in the careers and lives of American women. Founded in 1921, Miss America only allowed unmarried women of the ages of 17-25 to compete for the title. As of now, the age bar for the pageant remains the same with very specific character criteria set forth by the Miss America Organization. 

Though the competition started as a ‘bathing beauty revue’, from 2018 it has removed the swimsuit competition stating that the competition will no longer judge contestants based on "outward physical appearance”; instead of focussing on their attire, they want to allow, "the freedom to outwardly express their self-confidence in evening attire of their choosing while discussing how they will advance their social impact initiative," a representative for Miss America said in 2018. "We are no longer a pageant, we are a competition," Gretchen Carlson, the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Miss America Organization told “Good Morning America." 

In terms of scholarship opportunities, the winner of Miss America takes home approximately $50,000 scholarship money along with a six-figure salary check for the 365 days work term. 

Miss USA

The foundation of Miss USA is interlinked with Miss America. In 1950, Yolande Betbeze, a convent educated Alabama woman won the title of Miss America and refused to wear swimsuits publicly after the competition was over which posed a problem for Catalina Swimwear, one of the major sponsor for Miss America. After a lot of budge, an enraged Yolanda decided to launch another beauty pageant, thus Miss USA was born with Catalina as a sponsor; it later also made way for Miss Universe, the biggest international beauty competition with viewerships of 190 different countries. 

Unlike Miss America, Miss USA does not have any talent rounds. The contestants pose for evening attire and swimsuits, engage in answering questions regarding the socio-political awareness and responsibilities of the citizens. A criterion for winning Miss USA is to develop an opinion, says Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst. She says that to dig deep and prepare especially while talking about polarising issues enabled her to talk about them. “Dig deep and find support on it” and “make sure, you are well informed, that is most important”, the 29-year old pageant winner said.

Due to the present situation, Miss America has been pushed to 2021 while America waits for the new Miss USA which would be announced on November 8 at 8 pm onwards.