For the second year in a row, Miss D.C. won the crown at the Miss USA pageant. Miss District of Columbia Kara McCullough, a 25-year-old scientist who works at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was crowned Miss USA 2017 last night. She will go on to compete in the Miss Universe contest.
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.
"#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.
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. McCullough 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.” #MissUSA trended on Twitter, as many users criticized her answers.