Newly crowned Miss USA Kara McCullough earned widespread praise as a scientist and an advocate for STEM education, but her answers to some social issue questions during the pageant have caused a sharp divide.
Representing the District of Columbia, McCullough answered two questions during the Q&A portion of the night that caused controversial answers. Reaction was politically divided on both answers, with most conservative groups praising the contestant and liberals denouncing her responses.
The final question to McCullough asked if she considers herself a feminist. One of the interviewers spoke for her as McCullough laughed, saying, “Yes you do, absolutely you do.” But McCullough did not agree.
“So as a woman scientist in the government, I’ve liked to lately transpose the word feminism to equalism,” McCullough said.
“I try not to consider myself this die-hard, ‘I don’t really care about men,’” she added. “But one thing I want to say, women, we are just as equal as men when it comes to opportunity in the workplace. Firsthand, I’ve witnessed the impact women have in leadership in the medical sciences as well as just in the office environment.”