[David]

I don't know how many people caught it, but there was a 'Sexiest Bachelor in America' pageant on TV Oct. 2. Even though I didn't watch the whole thing, I caught parts of it while changing channels. Being a bachelor myself, it really bothered me to see all those handsome guys being judged, and it made me feel bad because I know I could never compete in something like that. My question is: Did any other guys who might have seen that pageant feel the same way, and do girls feel that way while watching the Miss USA pageant?

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Name : David, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 26, City : Slidell, State : LA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower class, 

[Morgan]

I don't believe girls who watch the Miss USA pageant feel the way you described. Sure, we say 'Wow, I wish I had her legs' or something of the sort, but we (or I) don't feel depressed that I could never be a part of that. Today we are taught to be secure about ourselves so that we don't feel envious of another's leg, for example, but of course we can't help it. It's hard to focus on the inside rather than the outside today, because of how these shows such as pageants are so concentrated on looks and body type.

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Name : Morgan, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 18, City : West Bloomfield, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Receptionist, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Jay]

For me it wasn't that the show made me feel unattractive or unrepresented, it was that those type of men weren't what I consider sexy. I was frustrated because it focused on one type of attractiveness (muscled, no body hair, Adonis looks), although the range of types that people find attractive is so vast.

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Name : Jay, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Age : 24, City : Asheville, State : NC Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

[Emma25378]

Congratulations, Pike; you know what women have to deal with every day. Yes, we feel belittled to watch pageants and know that youth, firm thighs and a pretty smile seem to be the sole measure of feminine beauty. I watched that bachelor contest and was struck by the blatant sexual content of Caroline Rhea's emceeing. At least female pageant contestants don't have to put up with the constant innuendo from judges and presenters. It makes me wonder if these women were trying to get some sort of revenge for having been objectified for lo these past 1,000 years or so. I really almost pitied those guys by the end of the deal and have to wonder why we as women want to lower ourselves to the level of the men we say we hate.

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Name : Emma25378, Gender : F, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, 

[Kerry]

Personally, I hate those contests. What better way to tell young girls that appearances are all that matter? To say the 'cute' thing in order to win? I pointedly refused to watch the sexiest bachelor in america show, and not just because I am not attracted to men. I think they are stupid and pointless and promote a lessening of our dignity. Parade on stage, with your bathing suit glued to your backside, and your teeth coated with vaseline, your breasts taped to look firmer. It's not any better for it being men on display; women slobbering over men, vs men slobbering over women. Gross either way, and not a good model for anybody. Even worse is the pageants for younger girls, babies. What 7-year old kid needs that kind of pressure? However many enter, and only one gets to win. The rest get to go home thinking themselves losers when in fact they are just as wonderful as the one who won. And people wonder why we have self-image problems in this country.

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Name : Kerry, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 29, City : Ventura, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Paula]

Everytime I see Miss America, Miss Teen America, or Miss Universe pagents all I can think is why women would subject themselves to becoming a walking, talking, smiling, object of sole worth based on physical apperance. It makes me laugh, because they'll ask women political and social questions in attempt to show the intellegence of the contestant. But no matter how intellegent a woman can answer, she has no chance of winning the pagent if when she walks out wearing a tiny bathing suit shows any sign of not having a perfect and completely unattainable figure. I almost choked when I heard someone refer to something as demeaning to women as a 'celebration of womanhood'. Right... putting yourself on display so that men can treat you like a piece of meat makes me feel good about being a woman. But to the pagent you're talking about, I saw that too along with some friends of mine. All in all we thought it was pretty hilarious. You should have heard us everytime one of the contestants answered a question trying to be suave and charming, we would laugh and say 'Bulls**t! No man says that!'. It was a disgusting display, it somehow seemed like an overgrown version of a dating gameshow. You're right to get a little insulted by that, those things are completely unrealistic but would have us believe otherwise. Anything that objectifies a person, male or female, is wrong.

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Name : Paula, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 18, City : Louisville, State : KY Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, 

[Kerry]

Personally, I feel disgust during them. Being pretty (within a very specified set of numbers), and giving the 'right' answers wins you the pageant, whereas being yourself and saying what you really want at the microphone will certainly lose you the show. Pretending you want with all your heart to want 'world peace' when all you really want is the cash from winning to pay your rent with is stupid. The answers are so pat, you'd think they were given a set of acceptable answers by the judges. I have never participated, nor will I. Also, you get 50 girls competing, and only one gets to win. You get 49 tagged with 'loser' in a society that hates women anyway. We don't need that kind of self-esteem problems.

User Detail :  

Name : Kerry, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 29, City : Ventura, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Amy]

For me, I do not feel at all that way, and that is partially because I know in big pageants a lot of women have done things to themselves to make them look better. I do not feel bad for not looking like them, because I know I probably could if I got plastic surgery.

User Detail :  

Name : Amy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Hinesville, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, 

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