Fifth Estate Collective

Buy It By The Lb.

1969

ANN ARBOR—This city witnessed the first public expression of dissent by Women’s Liberation groups of Michigan Saturday night, March 22, at the Miss Ann Arbor Pageant.

Outside the Auditorium doors of the Ann Arbor High School where the Pageant was being held about 100 women picketed in protest of the local meat auction which will eventually culminate in the Atlantic City Miss America prostitution rites.

Inside the auditorium eight women waited through the crudely plastic pimping process until the moment was right for their protest. They watched the “girls” line up in front of the judges, each “girl” wearing—believe it or not—a blue ribbon on her left hip, exactly like the kind that is pinned on a prize piece of cattle.

Before the announcement of the “New Queen”, Miss Ann Arbor of 1968 walked down the runway. When she returned to where the MC stood, the eight women stood and shouted, “Stop! We protest!” Then -they all began to chant “Miss America is a Mindless Boob Symbol” and “Miss America is Racism with Roses.”

As the intensity of the disruption increased ushers were sent to quiet the women, who continued chanting. The ushers finally managed to shove the women into the aisle and started pushing them towards the doors.

The women left, but not without a closing message to the cattle on stage. Holding their arms out in the Women’s Liberation sign, they shouted, “Save your ass before it’s too late.”


Fifth Estate #77, April 17–30, 1969