COVID-19 & Beauty Pageants?

ORLANDO, FL - Young ladies from all across the nation are competing in a pageant during a global pandemic in the hopes to win the title of Miss USA National Miss 2021. Rolando Rodriguez, former pageant judge said in his many years in pageantry, he hasn't seen a pageant quite like this. Rodriguez says, “They took every necessary precaution they took all of our temperatures, and all the judges wore masks, even the girls.”

Photo by Jordan Henry

The pageant was supposed to be in the summer but got postponed to Thanksgiving because of the lockdown. Many of the young women competed in their home state so they would be able to come to nationals to compete. The young women were told to wear masks for important parties and award shows and keep safe social distancing.

The women will be competing to win scholarship money and the chance to spread awareness about their platform. Pageant contestant, Beyonce Sage Henry says, “I want to win to have a bigger platform to share what I have gone through, especially overcoming dyslexia.”

Meanwhile, there are no harsh restrictions in Florida but all visitors and residents are required to wear a face mask.

According to the Florida Department of Health, reported 7,711 coronavirus infections and 106 deaths, the highest death toll the state has ever reported.

Some pageant parents were concerned about their daughters competing because of high coronavirus cases but they wanted their daughters to be a part of the USA National Miss sisterhood. Vanessa Pugh, pageant mom said, “At first I was rather concerned but then I had no problem with it because there were social distancing and mask wear.”

The winner will have to navigate being a titleholder and giving back to her community during

this pandemic.