A New York woman is challenging the longstanding rules of Miss America and Miss World that disqualify mothers from their beauty pageants. Danielle Hazel expressed her disappointment at being deemed ineligible to participate in the competitions due to her status as a mother. Hazel, who had her son at the age of 19, highlighted the impact of these rules on her aspirations.
She emphasized the unjust nature of the regulations, citing her son's immediate reaction that the rules are unfair. Hazel's lawyer, Gloria Allred, submitted a complaint to the city’s Commission on Human Rights seeking an end to the requirements that exclude mothers from these opportunities.
Allred argued that such exclusions are degrading and perpetuate outdated stereotypes about women's capabilities. She referenced a previous successful challenge in California that led to the elimination of a similar rule in the Miss Universe and Miss USA organizations.
The complaint filed by Andrea Quiroga in California prompted Miss Universe to abolish its 70-year-old rule globally. Allred stressed that parenthood should not be a barrier to employment or business opportunities, and individuals should not face stigma or discrimination based on their parental status.
Veronika Didusenko, who was stripped of her Miss Ukraine 2018 title for being a mother, joined Hazel and Allred in advocating for an end to beauty pageant bans on mothers. Didusenko, who lost her legal challenge in Ukraine, is now seeking relief from the European Court of Human Rights.
The Miss America and Miss World organizations did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter. The human rights commission refrained from commenting on ongoing investigations.
