A New York woman, Danielle Hazel, has filed a complaint against the Miss America and Miss World beauty pageants, accusing them of discrimination for disqualifying her due to her status as a mother. Hazel, 25, took her case to the New York City Human Rights Commission after being barred from competing because she has a six-year-old son.
“My dream of competing in these pageants is still on hold because of their discriminatory rules that ban mothers from participating,” Hazel shared.
For legal support, Hazel has enlisted renowned women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred. Speaking at a press conference, Allred stated, “Being pregnant or a parent is not a crime, and it should not disqualify someone from opportunities like these.”
Allred criticized the pageants’ eligibility criteria, which require contestants to be unmarried, childless, not pregnant, and without dependents. She argued that these rules are rooted in outdated stereotypes that suggest women can’t be mothers while also being beautiful, talented, and philanthropic. Allred also noted she had previously filed a similar lawsuit against the Miss Universe pageant.
Beauty pageants in the U.S. have faced increasing scrutiny in recent years. In May, the winners of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA 2023 stepped down, citing mental health concerns, after a pageant administrator resigned over a toxic work environment.
Miss America, established in 1921, is the country’s oldest beauty pageant. Miss USA, launched in 1952, was owned by Donald Trump until 2015, the year he began his presidential campaign.
