Miss America is cutting ties with swimsuits, but not everyone is happy about it

The Miss America pageant was founded in 1921 as a beauty contest with a risqué twist: a swimsuit competition. But now, 97 years later, the swimsuit is being nixed from the competition.

The swimsuit component of the pageant has always been polarizing. But after a “me-too” scandal, the Miss America board voted not to judge women in their swimwear starting with this fall’s national competition. The decision meant this summer’s state competitions were the last to feature the long-standing tradition. But many in the pageant world, including former and current contestants, have been reticent to embrace the new change. Aly Beaupre, a contestant in the 2018 Miss Texas pageant, has openly opposed it.

"I don't think it was necessary because I feel they could've just let people like myself, or people with similar stories, kind of talk about what it's done for them and what it's supposed to be about it," she said. "Now that I'm confident with myself, I walk into a room and I feel like I'm glowing."

VICE News spent time with Beaupre as she prepared for the pageant and shared her views about how the swimsuit competition changed her life and perspective about health and fitness.

This segment originally aired July 3, 2018 on VICE News Tonight on HBO.