celebrity

A nuclear scientist just won Miss USA, but people are furious with her.

There are a few important things you should know about Kara McCullough.

She looks very, very nice in a swimsuit.

She looks pretty in a white ball gown.

Meet the latest Miss USA. (Image: Fox)

She's also a nuclear scientist and wants to use her platform to inspire women to join the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

And she just won the Miss USA pageant.

But on Sunday, during the interview component of the pageant, 25-year-old McCullough made two other important things known - and social media was furious.

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McCullough was asked whether "affordable health care for all US citizens is a right or a privilege".

"It's a privilege," she responded.

"As a government employee, I am granted health care and I see first-hand that for one to have health care, you have to have jobs.

"So therefore, we need to continue to cultivate this environment that we're given the opportunity to have health care as well as jobs to all American citizens worldwide," she said.

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Immediately, there was significant push back on social media.

"DC just disqualified herself with that answer," wrote one viewer, with another tweeting, "Well I guess poor people don’t deserve health care because the new Miss USA said it was a privilege".

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Of course, there were many viewers who supported McCullough's response, arguing "nothing in life is free," and "someone needs to pay for it!"

The contestant from the District of Colombia was then asked what she understands feminism to be, and whether she identifies as one.

Again, her response was polarising.

Listen: Catch up on the week's biggest talking points on the Mamamia Out Loud podcast. (Post continues after audio.)

"So as a woman scientist in the government, I'd like to lately transpose the word 'feminism' to 'equalism,'" she said.
"I don't really want to consider myself -- try not to consider myself like this die-hard, you know, like, 'Oh, I don't really care about men'.
"But one thing I'm going to say, though, is women, we are just as equal as men when it comes to opportunity in the workplace."
... What?
That's... that's not true though.
"So as Miss USA, I would hope to promote that type of leadership responsibility globally to so many women worldwide," she finished.

Again, McCullough's comments attracted a strong reaction online.

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It's worth noting that this beauty pageant was previously owned by Donald Trump, so it's not built on particularly progressive, feminist roots.

Also, my favourite part is probably that the concept of 'equalism' is directly at odds with the idea of healthcare only being available to those who can afford it.

So consistent.

Trump would be proud.