NORMAN, Okla. — Madison Witman never believed she would enter a beauty pageant.

While the University of Oklahoma freshman was confident she could talk the pageant talk after serving as her high school debate team captain, Witman was not sure whether she could walk the pageant walk — especially in a tuxedo.

But that’s exactly what Witman decided to do. She entered the local competition, using her public speaking skills and her personal style to make a statement about societal beauty standards. She was crowned Miss Teen Oklahoma City/Tulsa Pageant on Saturday.

“I went into this pageant not expecting to win and I went out of this pageant shocked that I had won,” Witman told The Norman Transcript.

 

Hey everyone! So as you may know, tomorrow I will be competing in the Miss Teen Oklahoma City pageant. The ultimate message I am attempting to get across is that society places unnecessary standards on women across the world; I mean, we can all relate to that whether it be with weight, height, or even hair length. In some nations, it goes beyond physical qualities and extends into the personal lives and beliefs of groups across the board. While this stigma has affected myself and other loved ones, I believe it can be universalized and it needs to be discussed or, in this case, shown. Anyways, off of the soapbox, if you all would like, the crew and I would love for you to come out and see us hopefully ‘make some waves’! 🌊 it’s at Rose State College at the Hudiburg Center and it starts at 4pm and is 20 bucks at the door! Thanks for all of your love and support. ❤️ #pageant #makingwaves #missteenokc

A photo posted by Madison Witman (@mattiedb8s) on Aug 22, 2015 at 7:30pm PDT

It almost never happened. When Witman received a letter inviting her to compete, she laughed it off, thinking it was all a joke. But then she found out the letter was legitimate and the offer was real. She still has yet to learn who suggested her name to the pageant organization.

“It said I had been nominated,” Witman said. “I had no idea, but I just decided to do it.”

Once she made it through the preliminary round of interviews, Witman went to work preparing for the pageant. She accepted sponsorships offers from local businesses and participated in a pageant training class with 59 other contestants before meeting with judges interviews with judges and competing in casual and formal wear pageant segments

It all came down to one last question. After walking the pageant runway, Witman was asked what she wanted to accomplish this year. Through entering the pageant, Witman said her goals had already been realized — with or without a crown.

“While we are surrounded by beautiful participants, you must look towards how people have differences and that toleration is something that the entire international community can begin to learn, and begin to make strides towards success in society,” Witman said during the competition, still dressed in her tuxedo.

Applause and loud cheers reverberated through the auditorium moments later as Witman accepted the crown.

Witman now advances to the national competition which takes place in December in Florida, where Witman will have an opportunity to win academic scholarships.

While Witman was not required to create a pageant platform to compete, she still intends to share the same message and is still excited to see her story make national headlines. She knows all too well what it feels like to be bullied for her appearance, but she wants to remind others that beauty goes beyond what the eyes behold.

“It’s been the ultimate dream … The ultimate purpose is to not only to reach the LGBTQ community, which has been kind of skewed during the entire event, but also to reach women who feel like they’re not pretty or meet a certain standard of beauty, or even males who don’t think they’re perfect because they don’t have the best muscular build. It’s not necessarily limited to women — it’s for the entire human race,” Witman said.

Kirby writes for The Norman (Okla.) Transcript