Scientist wins Miss USA, slammed for ‘conservative’ comments
A 25-year-old scientist from the District of Columbia who works for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission was crowned Miss USA Sunday — and she did it after making some controversial comments about political issues during the competition.
Kara McCullough caused a firestorm on social media after she gave conservative answers to questions — saying she wasn’t a feminist and that she thought people need to have a job to have health care.
“I’m definitely going to say it’s a privilege,” McCullough said, when asked if access to medical care was a right, as liberals such as Sen. Bernie Sanders say, or a privilege, as many conservatives say.
She then added: “As a government employee, I’m granted health care and I see firsthand that for one to have health care, you need to have jobs.”
Later in the competition, McCullough and two other challengers were asked to explain what they consider feminism to be and whether they consider themselves feminists.
Miss District of Columbia replied that she likes to “transpose” the word feminism to “equalism.”
“I don’t want to call myself a feminist,” McCullough said. “Women, we are just as equal as men, especially in the workplace.”
McCullough, who graduated with a chemistry degree from South Carolina State University, said after the contest: “I believe we’ve come a long way and there is more work to be done. I think domestically we are making progress and I do believe that we will become equal one day.”
#MissUSA trended on Twitter, as many users criticized her answers.
“#MissUSA Miss DC just lost me with that answer….Affordable healthcare is a privilege? Girl bye,” tweeted a user named @dazella_may.
“DC just disqualified herself with that answer #MissUSA,” a user named Keeni Rodgers piled.
Others rushed to defend her.
“Black people hating on #MissUSA because of conservative positions need to stop acting like owned brainwashed slaves to the left,” a user named Darnell Wesh said of McCullough, who is African-American.
She will go on to compete in the Miss Universe contest.
“I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity,” she said after the event, which was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on the Las Vegas Strip.
“I just want to encourage so many women nationwide to find their passion in any subject possible and understand that nothing is difficult if you really, truly put the work in for it.”
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