Deseret News: Miss Utah pageant ready to kick off final competition with swimwear

SALT LAKE CITY — An official with this week’s Miss Utah pageant competition is looking forward to celebrating some of the pageant’s longtime traditions for the last time.

“It’s our final Miss Utah pageant with a swimsuit competition and with an evening wear competition run the way it currently does. … For us, it’s kind of a celebration of where our history has come from since 1921. … We’re excited to just celebrate that,” said Whitney Thomas, Miss Utah 2009 and communications director for the competition.

In a move to make the contest more inclusive and in keeping up with the #MeToo movement, Miss America officials announced last week that physical appearance will no longer factor into candidates’ scores and the women who compete can now keep their swimsuits in their suitcases in the fall.

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