Everyone's entitled to their own opinions....

So, I wanted to take a few minutes and get off my chest MY two cents about the situation surrounding Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA. I've been asked by several people who know I am Miss Finger Lakes and a beauty pageant participant what I think of the whole ordeal. Well, this is what I think!

First of all, I must give credit where credit is due. Carrie Prejean had more guts and more courage than anyone I personally know to stand on a stage with millions of people watching and stay true to herself and her beliefs. We can all attest to the difficulties of standing up for ourselves and being honest; it's not always easy! So, I sincerely applaud her for being so brave.

Now, onto my actual ranting. Supporters of Miss California have constantly questioned those in opposition, "Isn't she entitled to her opinion, just like you are?" Well, yes, she certainly is! She is entitled to her opinions, religious beliefs, sexual orientation (no pun intended), right to bear arms, etc. etc. However, the issue at hand has little to do with her constitutional rights. The problem with Carrie Prejean voicing her opinion that night is that she immediately alienated a tremendous population, particularly citizens of her own state. In voicing her opinion (to which she is completely entitled!), she put a divide between herself and the people that her opinion disagreed with. Someone who is supposed to a represenative of a body of people, be it a state or a country, who is supposed to be a role model that people look up to and want to be like should be more cautious in voicing their opinions, and choose their words more carefully. This doesn't mean she has to lie, or be fake, or be untrue to herself. For example, in response to the question "Should the rest of the states follow suit [in legalizing gay marriage]? Why or why not?":

"I think it's wonderful that we live in a nation where the states can decide which marital unions are within the bounds of the law and morality, and that's exactly what I believe the states should continue to, by using their strong virtues and beliefs as guidelines."

Ok, I just kinda threw that together quickly, but you get the point; there was definitely a better way she could have said 'I don't believe in gay marriage' without ACTUALLY saying "I don't believe in gay marriage." In short, this entire issue is not a matter of who is entitled to opinions and who isn't, it's about a young woman who was supposed to represent her entire state, in her hopes of representing the entire nation, who failed to do so by speaking as Carrie Prejean, not Miss California.

This brings me back to workshop weekend, when Leigh-Taylor (Miss New York America 2008) explained to us that being a titleholder means holding a job. Like any other job, you are a representative of the organization that has appointed you, you are an extension of everyone you work with and for. In the arena of beauty pageants, and *especially* the Miss America Organization, the body of people that you work for is the public. Everyone who will see you on TV, in newspapers, online and on the radio. Every little girl who wants to wear a crown like your crown, every parent who wants their daughter to be like you, every school teacher who wants their students to internalize the lessons you share with them. When you're a titleholder, you're a public figure. You have to present yourself as such, and sometimes you have to learn not so much to compromise your beliefs, but learn when to keep them to yourself in the interest of everyone, the people you work for. Remember, heavy is the head that wears the crown (sooo appropriate for this discussion, yes?): leaders have a great responsibility to those they lead... and yes, beauty queens, you are leaders!!



P.S. If I were to be asked the infamous Perez Hilton question, this is what I would say:

"Our Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There is certainly no state government that can overturn the very piece of legislation upon which this country was founded. I do not believe that the states in this country should rule any other way than to respect and uphold the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that all citizens are entitled to. If they are so inclined to live their life, exercise their liberty and pursue happiness with a partner of the same sex, then we as a nation are required to uphold those rights. So yes, I do believe that all states should follow suit, because every citizen of this country deserve equal treatment and representation."