Ms Wheelchair America

Imagine a different type of Miss America, one where contestants are not chosen for their beauty and how they look in swimsuits but for their brains and for their ability to articulate themselves.

You have it with MS Wheelchair America – a competition not to select the most beautiful contestant, but to select the contestant most able to express the needs and the achievements of the disabled to the public, the government and the business sector.

To select a winner the judges look at the past achievements of the contestants, as well as their ability to present an argument and to advocate a cause.

The competition was set up by American doctor Philip k. Wood as a non-profit competition for wheelchair users – and one would that would also provide a forum for disabled people.

The pageant has not been without its problems. In 2005 the pageant's winner was stripped of her crown for standing in public. There was no question over whether the winner, Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin, was disabled – she had muscular dystrophy and used a scooter – however the organisers stated that contestants had to be seen using a wheelchair in public.

Despite the controversy, the pageant and the winners continue to work for their disabled compatriots living in the USA – all 252 million of them.

Also see: Ms Wheelchair America 2008 Blog – blog by the current Ms Wheelchair champion, Kisten Mc Cosh.