Mrs. International is a beauty pageant based in Jacksonville, Fla., that celebrates the accomplishments of married women — but only those who are married to men, and everyone is accepting it.
All of the contestants to the 23 July pageant are required to pledge to defend marriage as something reserved solely for a man and a woman. From more than 50 applicants, only a handful were complaining. The sad thing is that they want to criticize, but hides their identity.
"I felt super-uncomfortable," one contestant, who requested anonymity, tells Yahoo Beauty about the document that was presented to be signed by all Mrs. International participants at the pageant orientation. The contract said, among other things (such as confirming that there’s been no past history of posing nude and that there will be no gossiping), that should a participant win, she must agree to stand up against the idea of gay marriage.
"I've signed many different contracts for pageants, but have never heard of anything like this, defending a political position," the contestant notes. "It’s just bizarre. Pageantry is usually very gay friendly. If the Supreme Court says it’s OK, then who am I? I don’t think I’d ever participate [in this pageant] again."
This lone complainant should be told on her face that she can always opt out. Nobody is forcing her to join. However, given her level of understanding about the pageant, she's probably just in on this for immediate exposure.
The directors of the International Pageants — which include the Mrs. as well as Miss and Miss Teen contests — are husband-and-wife team Mary and Melvin Richardson of Virginia.
The ironic thing about this is that Drew Dunn, a gay co-owner with his husband Thomas of Thomas Dunn Studios, is a Mrs. International sponsor. He tells Yahoo Beauty that he is aware of the anti-gay-marriage contract but not bothered by it.
"We are personal friends with [the directors] and go to their house for Christmas. We've never felt any discrimination, and what they choose to put in their contract is OK with me," Dunn says. "What they exude as people speaks higher than what’s on a piece of paper. People have their own beliefs."
Drew adds that he and Thomas are "very open" about their marriage at the pageant and are about to become new fathers. "Our friendship goes further than signing a contract," he says of the Richardsons. Another gay-owned sponsor said almost the same thing.
Now, can we move on and let the Mrs. International proceed because this is really a non-issue except for the leftist activist who are hungry for attention.
All of the contestants to the 23 July pageant are required to pledge to defend marriage as something reserved solely for a man and a woman. From more than 50 applicants, only a handful were complaining. The sad thing is that they want to criticize, but hides their identity.
"I felt super-uncomfortable," one contestant, who requested anonymity, tells Yahoo Beauty about the document that was presented to be signed by all Mrs. International participants at the pageant orientation. The contract said, among other things (such as confirming that there’s been no past history of posing nude and that there will be no gossiping), that should a participant win, she must agree to stand up against the idea of gay marriage.
"I've signed many different contracts for pageants, but have never heard of anything like this, defending a political position," the contestant notes. "It’s just bizarre. Pageantry is usually very gay friendly. If the Supreme Court says it’s OK, then who am I? I don’t think I’d ever participate [in this pageant] again."
This lone complainant should be told on her face that she can always opt out. Nobody is forcing her to join. However, given her level of understanding about the pageant, she's probably just in on this for immediate exposure.
The directors of the International Pageants — which include the Mrs. as well as Miss and Miss Teen contests — are husband-and-wife team Mary and Melvin Richardson of Virginia.
The ironic thing about this is that Drew Dunn, a gay co-owner with his husband Thomas of Thomas Dunn Studios, is a Mrs. International sponsor. He tells Yahoo Beauty that he is aware of the anti-gay-marriage contract but not bothered by it.
"We are personal friends with [the directors] and go to their house for Christmas. We've never felt any discrimination, and what they choose to put in their contract is OK with me," Dunn says. "What they exude as people speaks higher than what’s on a piece of paper. People have their own beliefs."
Drew adds that he and Thomas are "very open" about their marriage at the pageant and are about to become new fathers. "Our friendship goes further than signing a contract," he says of the Richardsons. Another gay-owned sponsor said almost the same thing.
Now, can we move on and let the Mrs. International proceed because this is really a non-issue except for the leftist activist who are hungry for attention.