June 10, 2025 • 9 mins
It turns out Miss America isn't ... It could be Miss, Mister, or a gender-identity-to-be-named-later. Kayleigh Bush won the Miss North Florida contest but was stripped of her title by Miss America, Inc. when she refused to sign a document committing her to compete, potentially, against biological males. She joined Preston to share her journey.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi, ruminators, Welcome to the second hour of the Morning
Show with Preston Scott Show fifty three ninety four. He
is Jose, I am Preston. Great to be with you
wet Tuesday here on the program, but a delight to
share time with you as always, and I'm very happy
to have with us on the show. Kaylee Bush. Kaylee
(00:24):
was the winner of the Miss North Florida competition and
has been stripped of her title. But no, no, no,
not around here. We're calling her Miss North Florida twenty
twenty four. Kaylee, good morning, How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good morning? Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I refuse to not acknowledge that you are Miss North Florida.
In your heart of hearts, you know you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Are right, Yes, sir, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Tell us when you got to the news that there
was something you needed to sign that was objectionable to you,
and just kind of walk us through that process.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, so, let me kind of paint this picture for you.
I remember heading up to Jacksonville after I had been crowned.
You know, first of all, whenever I had got crowned
that weekend, I was thickest I've ever been worked. The
hardest I ever had, and I really just focused that weekend.
You know, I didn't really expect to win anything when
(01:23):
I was crowned, but I focused on uplifting others and
prayer and you know, making other girls and their mama's
feeling good inside. And I remember four weeks later heading
up to Jacksonville for such a fun weekend. I remember
me and my sister queens. We had met up for
a great dinner, we had gotten cookies, and I remember
(01:45):
the next morning we had woken up early in full
glam for a photo shoot. And I'll never forget it
was at this photo shoot I sat in the corner
to read the contract and I was absolutely stunned to
read the new definition on page three. In that definition
(02:06):
read and i'll quote a born female or an individual
who has fully completed sex or assignment surgery via vaginoplasty.
Four weeks later, after I was crowned, and I was
stopped dead in my tracks. I this was completely different
than the website. Me and my mom had researched this
(02:28):
pageant for a year heading up, and this is nothing
like we had originally found. And so we immediately raised concern.
We made multiple private attempts to correct their contract, you know,
pleading with Miss America, and I'm going to be honest,
I really thought that they would fix it. But weeks
went by and I did a lot of soul searching
(02:49):
in this. You know, I was feeling really left out.
I remember heading home from that photo shoot and Mom asking,
you know, where are we going to get food? And
I remember just not eating that day and coming home
and scrolling and seeing my you know, all my sister
queens meet up for all these fun events on the
on the phone and not while my crown sat at
(03:09):
home in a box. But I was it was in
that moment of like loneliness and you know, feeling left
out that I was reminded that I couldn't partner with
an organization that claims to empower women yet doesn't even
know what a woman is. Then finally, the Miss America
(03:31):
organization came to me and said, you know, sign or
else we're going to take away your crown. And so
I declined to sign, resulting in my crown's retirement, not
being able to compete, in losing a lot of my
funding for law school.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Kaylee, tell me this, have you had much interaction with
your fellow competitors are aren't most young ladies concerned about this?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
You know, I haven't heard too much from a certain
side of the Sister Queens, but I'll tell you what.
Here in my hometown and all of these local pageants,
and I've had lots of you know, old Miss Florida's
and old people that were in the used to be
(04:19):
in the Miss America organization, and I've gotten nothing but
support from them, and it's just been really amazing. You know.
I remember one of the girls reaching out for me,
she used to be Miss Idaho, and her reaching out
and just expressing her encouragement, and I remember thinking to myself,
this is sisterhood, this is what this is all about.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Miss North Florida twenty twenty four, Kaylee Bush stripped of
her title because she would not sign a Miss America
contract that falsely defines female as including males. Gee, imagine that.
Would you have ever thought you needed to read the
fine print of that contract?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
No, I had a clear understanding stepping onto that stage.
Like on our website it had said, you know, you
must quote be a female to compete, and so that's
what I was. And that's when I went under the
rules of understanding.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Tell me what the status of everything is right now?
I mean, obviously our visit today was arranged by Liberty Council.
We've been long friends with Matt Staver and the team
at Liberty Council for many many years. Are they representing you?
Are you? Are you taking? Are you suing Miss America?
Is the state of Florida suing Miss America? What's the status?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You know? That part is kind of up to them,
But Liberty Council has been more than help. You know,
if you're ever in trouble, you definitely want these people
in your corner. They've written me two amazing demand letters,
not one to explaining the impact you know, whether that
Miss America knows it or not, that their policy defined
(05:58):
female to include boys as young as fourteen who have
been medically castrated, and that this is an abandonment of
truth and that no child's safety is worth the crown.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Clearly, Kayleie, this was on your radar and that of
your family heading into this pageant. To a certain extent,
We've talked about this at nauseum on the show. I
have warned of this for many, many years, of what
was coming in women's spaces with athletics, with beauty pageants.
We've chronicled the stories. We've had Riley Gaines on the
program a couple of times over the last year. Have
(06:33):
you been made aware of how big of a problem
this has become or did you know going in and
that's why you were cautious?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So, like I said, I had went in there under
the clear rules, you know, understanding this was a pageant
just for women. Like I said, we had researched for
a year everything that went into this. But I really
I love Riley and I love her courage. I like
to say that courage is contagious. And I see her
(07:02):
story and I see other girls' stories standing up, and
that's what gives me the courage to do the same.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
But yet there are people we chronicled the story just
before we had you on the show this morning of
Simone Biles. Here's a US Olympian, one of the most
decorated in history, who is stepping in and supporting men
competing against women. And it's so it's troubling that we
are living in a culture that is so confused about
something that is so clear.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, it's really crazy, and it's really really sad.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So tell me what life looks like for you now
moving ahead? I mean, do you find yourself now drawn
into this fight a little bit with Riley? Are you
going to get involved in a level of activism here
or is it now just about charting a course to
move on with your life.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You know, we're going to see what the Lord does
with it. I have a clear message, and that's even
if you're the only one standing stand up for what
you believe in. Live in the greatest country where free
speech is constantly under attack. So use that free speech
and don't be afraid to speak up and speak the
truth boldly.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
You know, when we last had Riley on the program,
she talked about a ten to ten on October tenth xx.
If you use the Roman numerals day where girls and
women don't compete in sports and send a message. I'm
of the opinion that it's going to take more than that.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
That.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
It's going to take you know, not competing period for
a season for a while to not give anybody that's
a male pretending to be a female a platform to compete.
Do you have any thoughts on that on the issue
at large and how to bring this to a halt.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah. I mean I love the idea of all real
women standing together for truth. It's going to take a team,
and it's going to take a sacrifice. I sacrifice the crown,
but the crown has lost its luster and that's a
sacrifice worth taking.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Absolutely, Kaylee, I wish you nothing but the best. Feel
free to stay in touch with us, let us know
if we can help in any way, shape or form,
whether it's you personally and advancing your career goals and
what you want to do, or just updating us on
the story.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Thank you so much for having me on and taking
a bold stand for truth. I love what you guys
are doing up there.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Thank you. Kaylee Bush with us this morning. She is
our miss North Florida, Thank you very much and standing
up for truth, standing up for her faith, and standing
up for other young girls that are going to compete. Someday,
perhaps this will right or wrong. Kaylee again, thank you.
Sixteen minutes past the hour, It's The Morning Show with
(09:41):
Preston Scott
Hi, ruminators, Welcome to the second hour of the Morning
Show with Preston Scott Show fifty three ninety four. He
is Jose, I am Preston. Great to be with you
wet Tuesday here on the program, but a delight to
share time with you as always, and I'm very happy
to have with us on the show. Kaylee Bush. Kaylee
(00:24):
was the winner of the Miss North Florida competition and
has been stripped of her title. But no, no, no,
not around here. We're calling her Miss North Florida twenty
twenty four. Kaylee, good morning, How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good morning? Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
I refuse to not acknowledge that you are Miss North Florida.
In your heart of hearts, you know you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Are right, Yes, sir, thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Tell us when you got to the news that there
was something you needed to sign that was objectionable to you,
and just kind of walk us through that process.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Yeah, so, let me kind of paint this picture for you.
I remember heading up to Jacksonville after I had been crowned.
You know, first of all, whenever I had got crowned
that weekend, I was thickest I've ever been worked. The
hardest I ever had, and I really just focused that weekend.
You know, I didn't really expect to win anything when
(01:23):
I was crowned, but I focused on uplifting others and
prayer and you know, making other girls and their mama's
feeling good inside. And I remember four weeks later heading
up to Jacksonville for such a fun weekend. I remember
me and my sister queens. We had met up for
a great dinner, we had gotten cookies, and I remember
(01:45):
the next morning we had woken up early in full
glam for a photo shoot. And I'll never forget it
was at this photo shoot I sat in the corner
to read the contract and I was absolutely stunned to
read the new definition on page three. In that definition
(02:06):
read and i'll quote a born female or an individual
who has fully completed sex or assignment surgery via vaginoplasty.
Four weeks later, after I was crowned, and I was
stopped dead in my tracks. I this was completely different
than the website. Me and my mom had researched this
(02:28):
pageant for a year heading up, and this is nothing
like we had originally found. And so we immediately raised concern.
We made multiple private attempts to correct their contract, you know,
pleading with Miss America, and I'm going to be honest,
I really thought that they would fix it. But weeks
went by and I did a lot of soul searching
(02:49):
in this. You know, I was feeling really left out.
I remember heading home from that photo shoot and Mom asking,
you know, where are we going to get food? And
I remember just not eating that day and coming home
and scrolling and seeing my you know, all my sister
queens meet up for all these fun events on the
on the phone and not while my crown sat at
(03:09):
home in a box. But I was it was in
that moment of like loneliness and you know, feeling left
out that I was reminded that I couldn't partner with
an organization that claims to empower women yet doesn't even
know what a woman is. Then finally, the Miss America
(03:31):
organization came to me and said, you know, sign or
else we're going to take away your crown. And so
I declined to sign, resulting in my crown's retirement, not
being able to compete, in losing a lot of my
funding for law school.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Kaylee, tell me this, have you had much interaction with
your fellow competitors are aren't most young ladies concerned about this?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
You know, I haven't heard too much from a certain
side of the Sister Queens, but I'll tell you what.
Here in my hometown and all of these local pageants,
and I've had lots of you know, old Miss Florida's
and old people that were in the used to be
(04:19):
in the Miss America organization, and I've gotten nothing but
support from them, and it's just been really amazing. You know.
I remember one of the girls reaching out for me,
she used to be Miss Idaho, and her reaching out
and just expressing her encouragement, and I remember thinking to myself,
this is sisterhood, this is what this is all about.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Miss North Florida twenty twenty four, Kaylee Bush stripped of
her title because she would not sign a Miss America
contract that falsely defines female as including males. Gee, imagine that.
Would you have ever thought you needed to read the
fine print of that contract?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
No, I had a clear understanding stepping onto that stage.
Like on our website it had said, you know, you
must quote be a female to compete, and so that's
what I was. And that's when I went under the
rules of understanding.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Tell me what the status of everything is right now?
I mean, obviously our visit today was arranged by Liberty Council.
We've been long friends with Matt Staver and the team
at Liberty Council for many many years. Are they representing you?
Are you? Are you taking? Are you suing Miss America?
Is the state of Florida suing Miss America? What's the status?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You know? That part is kind of up to them,
But Liberty Council has been more than help. You know,
if you're ever in trouble, you definitely want these people
in your corner. They've written me two amazing demand letters,
not one to explaining the impact you know, whether that
Miss America knows it or not, that their policy defined
(05:58):
female to include boys as young as fourteen who have
been medically castrated, and that this is an abandonment of
truth and that no child's safety is worth the crown.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Clearly, Kayleie, this was on your radar and that of
your family heading into this pageant. To a certain extent,
We've talked about this at nauseum on the show. I
have warned of this for many, many years, of what
was coming in women's spaces with athletics, with beauty pageants.
We've chronicled the stories. We've had Riley Gaines on the
program a couple of times over the last year. Have
(06:33):
you been made aware of how big of a problem
this has become or did you know going in and
that's why you were cautious?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
So, like I said, I had went in there under
the clear rules, you know, understanding this was a pageant
just for women. Like I said, we had researched for
a year everything that went into this. But I really
I love Riley and I love her courage. I like
to say that courage is contagious. And I see her
(07:02):
story and I see other girls' stories standing up, and
that's what gives me the courage to do the same.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
But yet there are people we chronicled the story just
before we had you on the show this morning of
Simone Biles. Here's a US Olympian, one of the most
decorated in history, who is stepping in and supporting men
competing against women. And it's so it's troubling that we
are living in a culture that is so confused about
something that is so clear.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, it's really crazy, and it's really really sad.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So tell me what life looks like for you now
moving ahead? I mean, do you find yourself now drawn
into this fight a little bit with Riley? Are you
going to get involved in a level of activism here
or is it now just about charting a course to
move on with your life.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You know, we're going to see what the Lord does
with it. I have a clear message, and that's even
if you're the only one standing stand up for what
you believe in. Live in the greatest country where free
speech is constantly under attack. So use that free speech
and don't be afraid to speak up and speak the
truth boldly.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
You know, when we last had Riley on the program,
she talked about a ten to ten on October tenth xx.
If you use the Roman numerals day where girls and
women don't compete in sports and send a message. I'm
of the opinion that it's going to take more than that.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
That.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
It's going to take you know, not competing period for
a season for a while to not give anybody that's
a male pretending to be a female a platform to compete.
Do you have any thoughts on that on the issue
at large and how to bring this to a halt.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah. I mean I love the idea of all real
women standing together for truth. It's going to take a team,
and it's going to take a sacrifice. I sacrifice the crown,
but the crown has lost its luster and that's a
sacrifice worth taking.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Absolutely, Kaylee, I wish you nothing but the best. Feel
free to stay in touch with us, let us know
if we can help in any way, shape or form,
whether it's you personally and advancing your career goals and
what you want to do, or just updating us on
the story.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Thank you so much for having me on and taking
a bold stand for truth. I love what you guys
are doing up there.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Thank you. Kaylee Bush with us this morning. She is
our miss North Florida, Thank you very much and standing
up for truth, standing up for her faith, and standing
up for other young girls that are going to compete. Someday,
perhaps this will right or wrong. Kaylee again, thank you.
Sixteen minutes past the hour, It's The Morning Show with
(09:41):
Preston Scott
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