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  • Posted By: daisydee @ 12/06/2007 3:38:39 PM

    she is a credit to the women race stand up america and watch our new miss america with pride.

  • Posted By: Isis Skye @ 12/06/2007 1:33:50 PM

    ""I used to think these women were shallow and selfish and obsessed with their looks. It's actually the opposite. Their r??sum??s are filled with a life of service," she says."

    Then why parade them around in swimsuits to judge their bodies as if they are cows at a 4H fair? The best thing contemporary women can do in response to Miss America and other such pageants is TURN THEM OFF and boycott every company associated with them. It is utterly disgusting, frustrating, and demeaning that women are still treated like ornamental THINGS in the year 2007. It is equally disgusting, frustrating, and demeaning that even this article still espouses outmoded ideas of "feminine" and "masculine" from 1942. Next year marks the 40-year anniversary of Robin Morgan and friends ceremoniously tossing their high heels, makeup, and other trappings of patriarchally-defined "femininity" into a garbage can. Now, after decades of things getting more and more equal, women are more objectified than EVER! The towers went down and all of a sudden old-school gender roles are marketed everywhere--ma-cheezy-mo men as rescuers and porn consumers, women as damsels in distress and ornamental sexual servants. Cuturally, we are just starting to resurface after 6 years of Hyper Retro. JUST SAY NO --TO REGRESSIVE CRAP!

    By the way, there is a name for the off color, racy jokes and images noted in the first paragraph of this article. It is called sexual harassment. It is ILLEGAL in workplaces throughout America. The military, however, doesn't give 2 hoots. "Boys will be boys" is a very anti-male attitude, implyinng that men are not capable of being anything more than apes.

    • Posted By: Just Another American @ 12/06/2007 3:38:09 PM

      Isis are you really this angry? If so at whom our government or men

    • Posted By: Just Another American @ 12/06/2007 3:32:17 PM

      Isis are you that angry inside too?

  • Posted By: river_city @ 12/06/2007 3:37:31 PM

    I would like to add that this girl does not have any kind of a "sob story" she seems to be very proud of her service and proud of what she is doing to this day. Any one who thinks of this as a sob story obviously has confused the definition of sob and success.

  • Posted By: nikki6 @ 12/06/2007 3:37:00 PM

    She deserves to win She is the embodiment of Miss America. Beauty ,Brains, and Braun. That's what you need as a woman in this country. I just want to thank her for doing what I and many of us men and women alike would not do. I don't agree with this war. But I still commend those soldiers fighting and dying so that we can give an opinion. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU

  • Posted By: Whitakerstanfill @ 12/06/2007 3:36:34 PM

    I just ran upon Jill's story!!!!! As a former participant in the Miss America program and a social worker(MSW) that recently met with an Air Force recruiter, I was so excited for her. She can obviously "hold her own" and do so graciously. I haven't watched the pageant in years, but will do so this year. I'll be cheering for her and all the other talented young women that are representing their "states". However, it is truly great to see a contestant that can "walk the walk" and "talk the talk". This truly shows that our great country has a talented and "caring" pool of young adults from which to choose for any given job that needs to be completed.
    YOU GO GIRL..... And feel free to call me for the next USO TOUR.....!!!!!!!!!! God Bless America and the Women and Men that serve us daily!!!!!!

  • Posted By: indysaint @ 12/06/2007 3:36:27 PM

    I think she looks like she was hit with shrap metal. I could care less if she was a soldier.
    Miss America is a freaking contest to honor a women for thinking she is prettier then other women.

  • Posted By: wijarhead @ 12/06/2007 3:35:08 PM

    Gingerz: paraded for men's pleasure? this is what she has to do to be seen as doing anything of any worth? I truly feel sorry for your type, I truly do. The fact that when a person does something that will make them happy, or does something that you do not feel is acceptable to your standards you must run it down vs. supporting them and being happy for them.
    It is so simple for you, and people like you tosit on the sidelines while people like Sgt. Stevens get in the game and enjoy life while people like you sulk and bemoan the fact that since decisions were made that you do not agree with they must be "illegal".
    As a Marine I applaud Sgt. Stevens and wish her the best of luck. The only way that I could see this scenario playing out any better is ifshe were a Marine and her evening gown were camo and she wore it with the Black Caddies we have all come to know and love.

  • Posted By: NannyMary @ 12/06/2007 3:34:19 PM

    I want to be the 1st to say You go for it WHO cares if u never wore polish or can walk in hills ,my view of a real Youn woman that our girls look up to is one with morals and love and compasson in there HEART and who else should wear the CROWN but a young woman who has been on the battlefront for Me as well as all others of our Country!! God Bless you and Keep you always and I am so Proud of all who go so I can be home free ..If we still have a few with a brain you will get it...GO for all The GUSTO!!!

  • Posted By: mike201057 @ 12/06/2007 3:21:30 PM

    and also carreeridiot......i did serve in the military..my brother has been in the army the last 21 years and my son is on his way back from Iraq...please search for a clue

    • Posted By: careerofficer @ 12/06/2007 3:34:12 PM

      I knew that! God bless your family.

    • Posted By: jjackd6 @ 12/06/2007 3:26:57 PM

      Don't worry man -- I understood the joke the first time.
      This page is better than watching t.v.
      Stan, gingerz, dance!!! More entertainment !!

  • Posted By: mike201057 @ 12/06/2007 3:28:06 PM

    FIRE IN THE HOLE??? hey, theres prep H for that....

    • Posted By: careerofficer @ 12/06/2007 3:32:39 PM

      Enough fun for today Mike; back to the War on terrorism!! Out here!

  • Posted By: DKHarris @ 12/06/2007 1:47:07 PM

    Well, Isis, I guess we should get a clue from your name. You are way off base. First of all, it was out of respect and the desire not to sexually harrass that the male members of Ms. Stevens unit did not tell the "racy" jokes in front of her. You're so angry you can't see the nose on your own face. Frankly, the women in these pageants are participating because they want to. If theywant to "parade around in their swimsuits like they are at a 4H Fair, then that is their right to do so. They know what they are doing and are not stupid. It's not like they were cattle prodded up there. In addition, there is nothing wrong with being feminine. They are after all women. Womanhood and femininity is something to be celebrated and not despised! Ms. Stevens is a perfect example of someone who is not afraid to celebrate her femininity but get down and dirty too. If you believe that there will ever be a world where men and women are considered one gender, you are way off base. There are differences, my dear, and differences for both genders should be celebrated not ridiculed. This article was very good for the most part. Ms. Stevens appears to be an amazing and interesting person and WOMAN. People will always say or do something that offends someone else so if you think you're going to stop that, think again. Time to get real, let that anger go, and grow up!

    • Posted By: sootybear @ 12/06/2007 3:32:06 PM

      To DKHarris,
      your response was one of the best I've read. You hit the nail on the head with your comment that womanhood and femininity is something to be celebrated. Any woman who has the courage to go to war and then stand up and be judged in a beauty pagent is a hero in my book. Society usually expects one thing or the other, you can't be strong, intelligent, kind and beautiful and if you are you certainly shouldn't be advertising it. Well I totally disagree as a woman it is possible to be all things. As I once told my younger sister - you don't have to be just a straight A student, or just a star soccer player, or just the homecoming queen, you can be all three and when the time comes you can be a wife, or a single mother, a beauty queen, a nobel prize winner, whatever you want. If SGT Stevens wants to be a soldier and a beauty queen GOOD FOR HER just because she walks around a stage in a swimsuit doesn't mean that's all there is to her, and in my opinion there's nothing wrong with being recognized for your poise and beauty. I'm sure that everyone that knows this young women knows beauty is more than just how you look on the outside. I'm extremely proud of Sgt Stevens for having the courage to do something like this knowing that people will have negative comments about why she's doing it. Basically what it boils down to is, if you find beauty pagents demeaning don't enter them end of story.

    • Posted By: sootybear @ 12/06/2007 3:26:52 PM

      To DKHarris,
      your response was one of the best I've read. You hit the nail on the head with your comment that womanhood and femininity is something to be celebrated. Any woman who has the courage to go to war and then stand up and be judged in a beauty pagent is a hero in my book. Society usually expects one thing or the other, you can't be strong, intelligent, kind and beautiful and if you are you certainly shouldn't be advertising it. Well I totally disagree as a woman it is possible to be all things. As I once told my younger sister - you don't have to be just a straight A student, or just a star soccer player, or just the homecoming queen, you can be all three and when the time comes you can be a wife, or a single mother, a beauty queen, a nobel prize winner, whatever you want. If SGT Stevens wants to be a soldier and a beauty queen GOOD FOR HER just because she walks around a stage in a swimsuit doesn't mean that's all there is to her, and in my opinion there's nothing wrong with being recognized for your poise and beauty. I'm sure that everyone that knows this young women knows beauty is more than just how you look on the outside. I'm extremely proud of Sgt Stevens for having the courage to do something like this knowing that people will have negative comments about why she's doing it. Basically what it boils down to is, if you find beauty pagents demeaning don't enter them end of story.

    • Posted By: parmee3 @ 12/06/2007 2:52:39 PM

      DKHarris - hurray for you! You are so absolutely right. Men and women ARE different and society (at least some elements of it) has been so focused on denying those differences that we just don't know who or what we are anymore, and that's not fair. Leave men and women to be men and women and press on.

  • Posted By: civilianchic @ 12/06/2007 3:30:11 PM

    Seriously Newsweek you should just change the title of your story already. That's just embarassing. Congrats on your successes so far Jill and best of luck at the Miss America Pageant!

  • Posted By: Whitakerstanfill @ 12/06/2007 3:27:03 PM

    Just ran upon Jill's story. As a former participant in the Miss America system (almost 20 yrs. ago!!!) and a 37 yr. old social worker who recently met with an Air Force recruiter (to "attempt" to become an officer so that I could fulfill a desire to work with our souldiers and their families) I was so excited to see such a "true" talent representing her "state". I haven't watched the pageant in years, but will be watching and cheering her on. It is true that one can be a "woman/lady" and still get the job done!!!! You go girl!!!!!!!
    And just remember....there are lots of "American" women who could represent both their "state" and our "country" just as well. Maybe this will inspire more women to dare to reach beyond what they think they are capable of achieving.

  • Posted By: civilianchic @ 12/06/2007 3:25:54 PM

    Seriously Newsweek you should just change the name of your story already. That's somewhat embarassing.

  • Posted By: river_city @ 12/06/2007 3:25:14 PM

    Why are so many people upset that a smart, hard working, beautiful woman is being recognised for what she is. you should be ashamed. Making catty remarks just because a woman who, by the way whent to a entirely diffrent country to possible die for you to have the right to say these things, is now trying to be miss America? I ask you this; who better a candidate? why should we vote for miss "I don't get my hands dirty unless I'm making pie"? I would much rather have a miss America who is more than a pretty face and a head full of hot air represent our country and esspecially one who is willing to fight for it. wether you agree with the millitary, the war, or pagents shouldn't make a diffrence. This is the kind of role model your daughters, sisters, and nieces shoudl be seeing win the crown, not the next walking, talking, anorexic barbie.

  • Posted By: mike201057 @ 12/06/2007 3:19:58 PM

    wow...carerrofficier....thanks for that.....and double DUH to you for not getting it...

  • Posted By: mike201057 @ 12/06/2007 3:18:42 PM

    controversy sells TV adds...
    how many idiots do you think will tune in to this stupid show just to see if she wins...
    i'm guessing a bunch...

  • Posted By: gingerz @ 12/06/2007 3:18:02 PM

    What is simply astonishing is this woman never warranted a mention until she decided to run for Miss America---I guess this is the only way women are of worth-- to be paraded for men's pleasure. It also reaffirms to me now so more than ever--- participating in a war which is illegal and is killing innocent people is unworthy of any attention, but something tells me that she could do something of more substance than being a beauty queen.

  • Posted By: beestone @ 12/06/2007 3:17:49 PM

    Wow, Lolita, you are a great example of an American. I'm so glad to be a part of a country where religious persecution is still alive and kicking. You've now inspired me to look at the religious preferences of the other contestants, and judge them each on their beliefs, rather than their talents, knowledge, and service. What an idiot...

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