Gretchen wants Miss America to empower

Gretchen Carlson says it’s “a form of justice” that former Miss Americas like herself who were trashed in emails from former leaders of the organisation now are in charge of it.

In an interview with Good Morning America on Friday, the former Fox News anchor said she will make the Miss America Organization all about empowering women.

Carlson, Miss America 1989, was named chairwoman of the organisation’s board of directors this week in the wake of an email scandal that led to the ouster of the pageant’s top leadership. Many of the new board members are, like Carlson, former Miss Americas.

“I find that incredibly empowering,” she said. “Some of the women who were allegedly maligned in those appalling emails are now running the place. It’s a form of justice.”

Carlson was among the Miss Americas who were ridiculed in emails by top leaders of the organisation that were published by the Huffington Post. Much of the criticism was based on their appearance, intellect and sex lives.

The selection of Carlson marks the first time a former pageant winner has served as the leader of the nearly 100-year-old organisation. New board members include three other past Miss Americas: 2012 winner Laura Kaeppeler Fleiss, 2000 winner Heather French Henry and Kate Shindle, who won in 1998. —AP