Caryn Brooks

Assistant Professor, Northwestern University

Could the look of the quintessential American beauty be changing as our population changes?

Malcolm Harris

Curator of Cool / Professional MUSE

Miss Universe, Leila Luliana da Costa Viera Lopes With her crown firmly on her head and a cause deep in her heart, the reigning Miss Universe, Leil...

Marlise Karlin

Founder, The Simplicity of Stillness Method

Words emanate into an energy field that surrounds us; they are like arrows and can shoot sparks of love into our hearts or daggers that remain for years, leaving scars of mistrust in our future life choices.

Emerson Whitney

Writer, reporter and artist

While Allred's assertion of Talackova's gender as valid and important is reassuring, the argument that because Talackova has "appropriate" identity documents, her status as a woman is more valid than it would be without them is frustrating for many transgender and gender-variant people.

Laverne Cox

Actress, producer and transgender advocate

The Miss Universe organization needs to make a public statement saying that it is working to revise its policy once and for all so that the competition is open to all women, and it must set a deadline for the written revision of the policy.

Carin Bondar

Biologist, writer, and science communicator

Transvestites in the Animal Kingdom are actually very common. Males appear as females and females appear as males for diverse reasons in diverse animal groups.

Todd Hartley

Columnist, screenwriter, playwright, lyricist, novelist, blogger and stand-up comedian

OK, gang, forget everything you think you know about Angola. Are you done forgetting? Good. May I ask what, exactly, you forgot?

Hilary Levey Friedman

Writer and sociologist, Harvard University

He was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list for twelve years. But Whitey Bulger was ultimately brought down by Miss Congeniality. No, not Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock's eponymous female FBI character in the 2000 film), but Anna Bjornsdottir.

Clarissa Burt

Award-winning actress, entrepreneur, TV/Video producer, public speaker, author, writer

At the Miss Universe pageant, Africa was represented beautifully by all of its delegates. These women displayed confidence, poise and grace. Each woman should be so proud of the job they did representing their respective countries.

Holly Cara Price

Agent Provocateur

We're back here once again, watching Heidi, Nina, and Michael Kors blithely destroy young dreams.

Hilary Levey Friedman

Writer and sociologist, Harvard University

Last week women around the world observed the 100th celebration of International Women's Day. One woman not discussed was Jean Bartel, Miss America 1943, who passed away on Sunday night.