When you watch the Miss America Competition on ABC Television this coming September there will be something missing from past years.  That something is the Swimsuit and Evening Gown competition. The Board of Trustees of The Miss America Organization has decided to go a different direction in that the contestants will no longer be judged by their physical appearance.

Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America and former anchor at Fox News, made several media appearances Tuesday to announce that the new Miss America event is no longer a pageant but is a competition.

According to Carlson, The Chairperson for the Board of Trustees, contestants will "demonstrate their passion, intelligence and overall understanding of the job of Miss America."

It remains to be seen how these changes will influence beauty pageants at the local levels throughout the United States. The competition for Miss America can be seen on September 9 at 8 p.m. central time on ABC Television.

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