Gal Perry Behind the Scenes
with the Beauty Queens
Miss Vermont Teen Sydney Perry
& Miss Illinois
Galaxy Britten Traughber

By Janice "Gal" Perry

We all know the stereotype of a beauty queen in a tiny bathing suit telling the judges that she would use her title to achieve "world peace." So you may think that the women who enter beauty contests are simple-minded narcissists with next-to-nothing in their pretty little heads. Think again.

Britten Traughber enters beauty pageants as part of her work as a visual artist and performer. She's a three-time Runner-Up in the Miss Vermont USA pageant and currently holds the title of Miss Illinois Galaxy. She received her BA in Visual Arts from Bennington College and is a Graduate Fellow at Illinois State University, where she's pursuing an MFA in photography.

Janice Perry: I know that Beauty Pageantry is part of your art practice. Can you tell us about that? How did you start?

Britten Traughber: Five years into my work, I consider myself a lover of all things "Pageant." My family might say it's just become an obsession and they could be right. Part of being an artist is finding your passion and I feel lucky to have found mine, even though it's pushed me in a direction I never expected to go!

I entered my first beauty pageant in Vermont in 2003 as part of my studies at Goddard College. I dedicated an entire year to researching the history, present culture, and standards of beauty pageants, and decided that entering a pageant myself was the best way to answer a lot of my questions. So that's where the performance/participatory observation part of my study began. My goal was to transform myself - in four months -from a grungy Goddard kid to a viable pageant contestant.

Pageants were a completely foreign world to me - I remember watching them as a kid, but they were far from being on my cultural radar as I grew up. I was curious as to WHO was still entering pageants and WHY - who are the women competing in pageants in the contemporary world? What I found out was that there were no easy answers to my questions, and that the whole topic is much more complicated than I had assumed it would be.

Culturally, I find the entire event to be fascinating - how a woman is chosen to be the embodiment of a community's values, and the significance that the role of beauty queen plays within these communities. I continue to develop more questions than answers as this work goes on. It's such a rich field of material that I wish more people would take seriously as a cultural phenomenon. I hope I can do it justice someday through my work. This semester I've started photographing county fair queens in Illinois, and I presented a talk entitled "Art and Performance in Pageantry" at a women's study conference - following (performance artist) Holly Hughes. I'm trying to bring my studies off the stage and into the studio much more these days.

JP: How are you performing Beauty?

BT: Well, I'm obviously performing a very specific type of beauty, a hyper-real feminine ideal that for the most part would be very out of place outside the venue of a pageant. In my day-to-day life I present myself very differently according to the social setting I'm in. It would be awkward for me to be in pageant mode while fulfilling my Graduate Assistant duties, and I wouldn't wear my glasses to an appearance as a titleholder. I guess I perform my own version of beauty on multiple levels, and I have been accused of being a chameleon by more than a few people!

Pageants are just a distilled version of the same identity construction and competition that people take part in for their entire lives - though I don't know how many people look at their lives that way. We're all being judged and measured every day, adapting to our surroundings and competing for status. I find pageants to be much less of a threat to my identity than say, corporate America is!

JP: Which pageants have you entered and what titles have you won?

BT: I entered the Miss Vermont USA pageant in 2003, 2005 and 2006, placing 4th Runner Up, 3rd Runner Up and 1st Runner Up (winning the swimsuit and photogenic awards) and I am currently Miss Illinois Galaxy 2008.

JP: What is the strangest title you've won?

BT: It wasn't a title, but I did march in Washington DC at the 2004 March for Choice wearing a tiara and a shirt that said "Beauty Queens for Choice." And I think there should be a chapter of "Beauty Queens for Obama" nationwide - I'm working on that one! A lot of people don't like to mix their pageantry with their politics, but I say why not? A Beauty Queen has a lot more power than people might think. I'm only somewhat joking there.

JP: What are the duties that you love the most, and hate the most? The oddest duties?

BT: I loved being able to ride in a St. Patrick's Day Parade right after winning Miss Illinois Galaxy. What a surreal experience! I was placed behind the Girl Scouts, a Budweiser truck and Spiderman - how was I supposed to compete with that? It was fun and a little funny at the same time. Some of the people watching were genuinely excited to see a beauty queen waving to them. There were lots of little girls who take tiaras VERY seriously, and then there were the older kids yelling "hey Barbie," and other rude things I can't repeat here. And all I could do is wave back and smile. It was my first experience of being under the microscope in front of the general public, which is what any titleholder can expect once they walk out the door with a crown on!

JP: What kinds of conflicts do you feel about participating in pageants?

BT: I'm very used to having to defend my participation to the academic world, and having to defend my academic participation to the pageant world. Again, it's a fine line. However, I see participating as a choice that each individual contestant makes, each has the right to decide if it's a worthwhile endeavor.

I think the whole debate about pageants objectifying women has become a moot point in the age of reality television. So personally, I have conflicting feelings when other women ask me if they should enter, because I can't predict if it's going to be a positive experience for them or not. It's all in how you look at it. Are you entering for the experience, or because you want to win? And why do you want to win?

I like to explain to people unfamiliar with pageantry that it is first and foremost an industry. I have no criticism of women who participate, but I do dislike some of the practices and expectations that have come with the evolution of the industry. Right now we're in a fitness-craze period where a lot of women competing at the national level look like they could be bodybuilders, and I personally don't find that attractive or think of it as healthy. It's a trend that I hope will pass. Watching pageants from the 70s, 80s and early 90s, I think "D*mn! Those women look like WOMEN!" I hope natural curves come back in style soon!

JP: Do you meet up with the same pool of contestants at different pageants?

BT: Despite the large number of women who participate in pageants, it's a very small world! And yes, you do see the same people competing in different systems, sometimes even in different states. I became friends and still keep in touch with a lot of contestants in Vermont. It's fun to keep tabs on what we're all up to these days.

JP: How does your awareness of beauty as a performance affect your relationship with/to other contestants, and the promoters?

BT: Early on I didn't want anyone to know that I had my own reasons for participating - I was afraid my interactions with others would be skewed if they knew I was "observing" and taking notes.

Then I started making friends, getting to know some of the people in the industry. I tried to walk the line of insider/outsider for a good three years. In the end my role as an empathetic observer started to take over, and the lines between participant/observer were blurred even more as I started making friends and learning about them as more than contestants. I realized that I loved the process of becoming a beauty queen - that there was something very powerful and transformative to be found in the rigorous preparations/manipulations that I undertook in preparing to compete each year.

Over the years I have been much more vocal about my intentions - mostly because I realized that being honest about my research is a great way to get people to open up. I am interested in contestants' stories, their experiences, and what they draw from pageants. And while I have tried to retain an objective view of the whole scene, I am certainly not out to get the dirt on anyone! I think people can tell that my intentions are good, that my interest is sincere, and that this is just my own little project that I am dedicated to.

It has helped that I can contextualize my interest as being "for art's sake". And I don't think anyone could fault me for entering with that objective. What I've discovered over the years is that each woman has her own reason for participating - and I've almost never heard the same reason twice - and each one is completely valid and worthy of consideration. So, I would hope other pageant participants might cut me some slack there.

JP: What can you tell me about contestants and dieting? Do you do extreme dieting for pageants?

BT: I personally don't do any extreme dieting - okay, I did try a "raw diet" once before a pageant, but I just ended up catching a cold and being hungry most of the time. For me, my workouts are the most important part - running, lifting weights, breaking out the Buns of Steel videos - and for that you need a lot of energy. I usually cut out all cheese and starch (this means eating lots of veggies and chicken) about two months before a pageant. There are all sorts of rumors about "so and so" being on a liquid diet, but nothing I've seen first-hand. However, I have seen a lot of contestants gain weight after their pageants - maybe because they're so relieved to be done, or maybe some weren't dieting in a healthy way beforehand. I hate to speculate though. You'd like to think fitness and being healthy is something we do year-round, but I'll be honest and tell you that I have bad habits that come around when it's not pageant season (like a Cabot cheddar addiction).

JP: What are the rules about enhancement - padding, collagen injections, breast and other augmentation/reduction?

BT: For the most part I don't think there are any rules about enhancements - pretty much anything goes. That being said, I personally don't know of anyone who has had any sort of surgery. I think it's more common on the national/international level.

JP: What's the age ceiling for the kinds of pageants you're entering?

BT: The Miss Galaxy pageant goes up to 29, but then there is a Ms. and Mrs. division for contestants who are older or married. My last year at Vermont USA I "aged out" of the USA system at the ripe old age of 26, so I took that as a sign and headed to grad school - only to turn around and enter a pageant with a higher age allowance. I'm glad I did though, because I wanted to experience being a titleholder. But I had to promise my fiancé that this is the last pageant!

JP: What do you win, besides public affirmation of your beauty?

BT: You usually win a small prize package, and a chance to really put yourself out there. A title is just a title, but what you do with it is what counts. I know a lot of people who have "won" the ability to use their title as an outreach tool for the charity or issues that they are working on - it gives them a public venue to speak about what matters to them most.

(JP: The Miss America Organization, and all its offshoots, is the single largest source of scholarships for young women in the USA. Miss America winners have promoted war bonds during WWII, legalized abortion in 1974, and HIV/AIDS awareness in 1998. There have also been episodes of Fear Factor: Miss USA Edition in which several former Miss USA winners compete for a chance win $50,000, half of which goes to a charity of their choice.)

JP: What is it like to lose?

BT: It's gut wrenching! The first two times I entered, I just felt lucky to make the Top 5, having not expected to make it that far. But on my third try, having worked VERY hard to "crack the code", perfect my presentation and wardrobe - really getting into the nitty-gritty of what makes a winner - I truly wanted to be Miss Vermont USA. And in a situation like that, doing everything "right" and coming so close to my goal, it's hard to accept that it's out of your hands! You can do everything right and still not win. Judging is subjective, beauty is subjective. One of my favorite pageant sayings is, "a different night, a different winner," meaning that many factors affect the outcome.

JP: What do you tell yourself, how do you keep smiling when you're standing there on stage and someone else has just won?

BT: Well, you tell yourself "a different night, a different winner." No really, it was easy to keep smiling because I really liked the winner. That always makes it easy. The first thing I said when I left the stage was, "Well, off to grad school!" I knew it was truly a "sign" of some sort that I needed to focus on my goal of producing something out of all of this material.

Going to Miss USA would have been a once in a lifetime experience, but it was never really my main goal to have that experience. I was able to keep my perspective, though I did mourn a little about a month later - a delayed reaction!

JP: Which pageant are you preparing for now?

BT: I will be competing for the title of Miss Galaxy International in July in Orlando.

JP: Do you recommend pageantry for the "average" beautiful young woman?

BT: Heck, I'd recommend pageantry to just about anyone, regardless of their looks, age, or gender. If I had my way there would be many different types of pageants - something for everyone - so that more than one standard of beauty could be represented! I think there is a lot to be gained from the process of putting yourself out there, from presenting yourself to the world (or a few hundred people) - and just being yourself. In all these years of trying to "crack the code" in pageantry, I feel like I've finally come to love myself for the pageant geek I am.

JP: Tell us anything else you think we should know about this!

BT: Anyone interested in reading more about pageants should definitely pick up a copy of Beauty Queens on the Global Stage, an amazing compilation of essays concerning the cultural value of pageantry.

Interview with Miss Vermont Teen USA 2008, Sydney Perry

JP: What is it about pageantry that makes it a positive experience for you?

SP: I think that there are a lot of positives that come out of pageants for me. I love being out in the public and doing charity work in the community. Also learning how to take on more responsibilities and communicate has been a very strong positive from the pageant.

JP: How do you think pageants affect the way "average" young women feel about their own bodies and abilities?

SP: Pageants aren't necessarily about outer image. I think that young women observing a pageant should realize that judges are looking for your inner beauty and that "it" factor that makes you stand out in a crowd. Also, having a fit body shows determination and discipline and the choice to lead a healthy lifestyle. I think that young women not participating in pageants should feel like they have the same potential as anyone in the pageant if they know themselves and live a healthy life.

JP: How do you prepare for a pageant? Daily? Weekly?

SP: I started my preparation about two months before my state pageant. This mostly consisted of weight training and cardio five days a week and just having my mom quiz me on questions about myself.

JP: How do you tailor your "performance" of Sydney Perry when you are in the pageant?

SP: When I'm in the pageant I am so focused on where I am at that moment and what I am doing. I think about portraying my personality as much as I can and making sure the judges get a good understanding of who I am as a person.

JP: What do you emphasize? De-emphasize?

SP: I don't think that there is one thing I really emphasize or de-emphasize during the pageant. The judges want to know who you are every day of your life and I feel that changing myself for the pageant would be faking who I am.

JP: How is this different from your daily school/work life?

SP: Well the pageant isn't that different from my daily school and work life really. I have to work just as hard in school and at my job as I do with the pageant. Also - like school and work - if I am dedicated and do my best, there are rewards. Though I will say that the pageant is a lot more fun than working or school.

JP: I know that you have a trainer now - how much training are you doing and what are you training for?

SP: Right now I am doing weight training two days a week and I am in the gym doing cardio for an hour six days a week. I am basically starting my fitness regimen for the Miss Teen USA Pageant. Although we don't know exactly where or when it is yet, I want to be as prepared as possible and when it gets down to about three months before the competition I will kick up my workouts more.

JP: How much time and money does it cost to participate in pageants?

SP: I think that the costs vary for the different types of pageants that are out there. I raised all of my entry fees for the state pageant by getting local businesses to sponsor me. It does take up some time. However, I still have free time for friends, work, and play. Sometimes I don't realize how much time I'm actually putting into it because I am having so much fun with the whole experience.

JP: What are the categories on which you're judged and what do you think about these categories?

SP: The three categories are all weighted the same and they are interview, swimsuit, and evening gown. I think that these three categories all serve their purpose very well in determining which girl will represent the state. Some people are shocked to hear that teens actually have a swimsuit portion to the competition but that just goes back to the whole thing of having confidence and loving who you are, and portraying that you lead a healthy lifestyle. The evening gown part is used to look for grace, confidence, and poise. The interview is just a really quick way for the judges to ask you any questions off your personal bio form, and get a sense of who you are and what your personality is like.

JP: What would be your ideal judging categories?

SP: I like the judging categories. I think they are appropriate and serve their job.

JP: How much do scholastics figure into the judging?

SP:: I don't think scholastics are a huge part of the judging but it is important. To be Miss Vermont Teen, you are setting an example for younger girls and you want to show them how important it is to try your best and work hard in school.

JP: What kind of grades do most contestants have?

SP: I think that most contestants have good grades. I know that most of the girls that I talked to during the pageant were A-B students and were really focused in their schoolings.

JP: If you could change something about the judging process what would it be?

SP: I think I would make the interview a little bit longer, because you have only one minute with seven judges. They have to pick a winner with whatever information they get from you in that one minute, and from the other two brief portions of the pageant.

JP: What was the interview part of the judging like?

SP: The interview was really easy for me because they ask you questions about yourself and your life. Who knows me better than myself? I think a lot of girls stress over it and worry about saying the wrong things, but you know all the answers to the questions because it is your life, you were there and you lived it.

JP: What did they ask you and how did you answer?

SP: I got all kinds of questions about my past, present, and future. I got questions about school, college, friends, family, my job, pets, and more. I answered them all with honesty and with some humor.

JP: What's the atmosphere like backstage with all those young women in competition with each other, with the added pressure of having to be "congenial?

SP: The atmosphere is really different backstage. Most people would picture girls being so competitive that they wouldn't talk to one another but that really isn't the case. Every one is so nervous and going through the same emotions, so it's really nice to have all those other girls to talk to and get your mind off your nerves while you're waiting to go out onto stage.

JP: Can you tell when someone is faking it?

SP: I don't know if people are faking or just trying too hard. To me natural, confident beauty shows the most, so when that isn't present, it's easy for me to see that pressure of being something you're not.

JP: What were the other contestants like? Did you know some of them from earlier pageants?

SP: All of the other contestants were very nice. You are put in the same position as everyone else so you all just bond with one another. I knew a couple from the year before when I had competed, so it was nice to know some people going into it.

JP: What are your rewards for winning the pageant?

SP: Well I think that I have a lot of rewards besides my prize package. The larger portions of my prize package are a full ride scholarship to Green Mountain College, a free evening gown and cocktail dress, $1,700, and the title of Miss Vermont Teen. However I think that the other rewards are my additional pageant family that consists of many people including my state directors, hair stylist, dentist, and my "sister" (Kim Tantlinger, Miss Vermont USA 2008). Also the experiences and memories that I have are, possibly, the best rewards involved.

JP: What are your Miss Vermont Teen duties?

SP: My main duties are to be a representative of Vermont in the Miss Teen USA competition and to be a positive role model to the community. Here and there I have other opportunities to work as a volunteer, and do charity work, too.

JP: How do you change your behavior when you're "performing" as Miss Teen Vermont at an event (something you do as one of your duties, like going to the Legislature)?

SP: I don't really change my behavior, I am just sure that I am as polite as possible when I am wearing the crown and sash. My parents raised me to be well mannered so I feel like I don't have to change much when I am in the public eye as Miss Vermont Teen.

JP: Do fellow students at U-32 treat you differently now that you've won the title?

SP: My friends don't treat me any differently. They are a great support system that loved me before the pageant and would have still loved me, even if I didn't win.

JP: Does your title make you more attractive to people?

SP: I don't think that my title makes me any more attractive to people. I'm still the same person I was before I won and I think that people know that. Now I just have a crown and sash!

JP: Does your title scare people?

SP: Well I hope my title doesn't scare people! I'm not sure why it would; I think that I'm pretty approachable and easy to talk to.

JP: What kind of questions do your peers ask you about the whole pageant thing?

SP: They ask some pretty funny ones. The boys always want to know if the other girls in the pageants have boyfriends and if not, can I get them on a date with one of them. I get asked a lot if I have met Donald Trump, because he is the owner of the pageant.

JP: In what other ways has it changed your life?

SP: I think that this has launched me into experiences that I would have never had the opportunity to have before, many different windows have been opened for my future.

JP: Have you been at other pageants that you didn't win?

SP: The only other pageant I was in was the Miss Vermont Teen USA 2007 where I placed second runner up.

JP: Do they give you feedback when you don't win? What did they tell you?

SP: No, they don't give you feedback. It would be helpful if they did, but unfortunately they don't.

JP: What was that like? Did you feel less beautiful?

SP: It was bittersweet. I wanted to win but I was really happy to have done that well for my first pageant. I didn't feel less beautiful, I was just ready to compete again the next year.

JP: Do you feel beautiful every day?

SP: Well, that's a hard question because I am only human and I have my days where I'm not feeling so great because I'm tired, I have a bad hair day, or some other silly reason. But for the most part I think that inner beauty is far more beautiful than outer beauty so when I'm happy, I feel beautiful.

JP: Do you feel more beautiful than before, now that you've won?

SP: Now that I've won, I still feel like the same old me but with a few more interesting opportunities and a sash and crown. I don't feel more beautiful, just more lucky that I had the chance to participate in something like this.

Janice Perry is a Vermont-based performance artist. She tours with her solo work, lectures, and teaches courses and workshops in Identity Performance.
She attended the protests against the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City in 1969, but didn't burn her bra (only because she didn't own one). Sydney Perry is Janice's niece.

For more information:www.janiceperry.com
www.missvermontusa.net