*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
Hottest Toys To Chill With Your Kids This Summer
After two years of the pandemic kids are ready to enjoy the outdoors again with their favorite toys. Cheddar News speaks with Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer at Toy Insider on how to entertain your kids with the latest, and greatest gadgets.
Uvalde School Police Chief Says He's Still Cooperating
The school district police chief who served as on-site commander during last week’s deadly shooting in Uvalde, Texas, says he’s talking daily with investigators, contradicting claims from state law enforcement that he has stopped cooperating.
Raising Awareness For Foster Children This National Foster Care Month
Thousands of foster children throughout the country are constantly put at risk, with many of them constantly exposed to threats such as homelessness and sex trafficking. With May being National Foster Care month, Cheddar News was joined by Angela Featherstone, CEO and President of the Foster Care Healing School to discuss how the school works on helping foster children and how you can help a foster child today.
Summer Travel Hacks As Inflation Heats Up
It's the unofficial start of summer, and after two years of COVID, Americans are ready to travel again. So how can you beat the crowds and keep your family safe? Cheddar's Shannon Lanier has some hacks that can help you make the most of your summer vacation with minimum hassle.
Load More