*By Max Godnick* The newly-crowned Miss USA said she stands with her "sisters" who had the courage to appear on camera and say "me too." The national reckoning with toxic male behavior was part of this year's Miss USA competition, which included a pre-recorded montage of some contestants sharing their experiences with sexual assault. "You have to be real and acknowledge what's going on in our world," said Sarah Rose Summers, the newly crowned Miss USA, in an interview with Cheddar on Thursday. "We're not in our own little bubble as Miss USA contestants." The 23-year-old said she has never experienced any sexual misconduct but was supportive of her fellow contestants who did appear in the video. Summers received two degrees from Texas Christian University and recently finished her clinical rotations to become a certified child life specialist. She said she and her fellow contestants handle uncomfortable interactions on social media and in person differently since the #MeToo movement took off. "There's less of 'oh he's just creepy' and more of 'that's not acceptable," said Summers. President Trump owned The Miss Universe Organization, operator of the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe pageants, from 1996 to 2015. Five former contestants have said they remember Trump visiting their dressing rooms during the 1997 Miss Teen USA competition, according to [a report by BuzzFeed News] (https://www.buzzfeed.com/kendalltaggart/teen-beauty-queens-say-trump-walked-in-on-them-changing?utm_term=.kjX2mPLpG#.byrm5eOLZ). Summers said she never felt like her privacy was violated while taking part in the pageant. "I felt very safe and we all have security that are with us all of the time so we cannot be approached by anyone," she said. For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/miss-usa-on-pageants-in-the-metoo-era).

Share:
More In Culture
Tinder Plus One Feature to Help Users Score Dates to Weddings
Tinder is offering a new feature called Plus One, allowing users to signal that they're looking specifically for a date to a wedding or are open to attending one. The app is also partnering with WeddingWire to help single guests pay for wedding season with a grant giveaway promotion.
FDA Authorizes its First E-Cigarette for Adults
For the first time ever, the Food and Drug Administration authorized e-cigarette products for adults, authorizing the marketing of three new tobacco products. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company can now sell its Vuse Solo products. According to the FDA, the company was able to show its e-cigarettes helped smokers either quit or significantly reduce their use of cigarettes. Derek Peterson, founder and CEO at Soter Technologies, joins Cheddar News to talk about the move.
Load More