Several Detroit women, members of the “Women’s Liberation Movement,” a group of radicals working on their own thing, joined women from New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Iowa in a twelve hour demonstration against the Establishment’s Miss America Contest in Atlantic City, New Jersey, September 7.
Approximately seventy women protested the “mind-less boob symbol” of Miss America behind two police barricades. About 200 hecklers taunted the women, three of the honkies staying for five hours—the cops turned to face the crowd—they were the more violent.
The women picketed, sang protest songs, presented a skit with a dummy representing “the prostitute Miss America,” and passed out leaflets. The songs included “We Shall Not Be Used,” sung to “We Shall Not Be Moved,” and “Ain’t She Sweet:”
Ain’t she sweet
Making profit off her meat.
Beauty sells she’s told, so she’s out pluggin’ it.
Ain’t she sweet.
To “Down By the Riverside” they sang:
We’re gonna ask all our sisters here
to come and join the fight,
to come and join the fight,
to come and join the fight,
We’re gonna ask all our sisters here
to come and join the fight,
Don’t be no Miss America no more.
The leaflets protested: 1. The Mindless “Show” Girl; 2. Racism with Roses; 3. Miss America as Military Death Mascot; 4: The Consumer Con-Game; 5. The Unbeatable Madonna-Whore Combination; 6. The Irrelevant Crown and the Throne of Mediocrity; 7. Miss America—Every Little Girl’s Dream; and 8. Big Sister is Watching You.
While this activity went on outside the convention hall, a disruption occurred inside. Shouting “Freedom Now,” women unfurled a banner over the balcony, proclaiming “Women’s Liberation.” One woman who sprayed Toni Home Permanent Solution and two others were arrested for “emitting an abominable odor.” Toni is one of three sponsors of the Miss America Contest.
Under orders, the television cameras did not record the action. All heads turned toward the balcony for ten seconds, and one of the contestants on stage stood trembling and frightened as all Miss America contestants should stand from now on.