“Miss USA girls want to grow up and become lingerie models. Miss America girls want to be doctors and lawyers.”


California and Miss California Outstanding Teen. Marina Inserra is among


the lucky 11. She is the stage manager and in charge of the dress rehearsal. Even in black yoga pants and a T-shirt she screams “beauty queen.”


Twice she has introduced herself to me by offering a firm handshake and saying, “Marina Inserra, former Miss California.” Her mother, Issie Inserra, is the pageant direc- tor. While Issie gives me a tour behind the scenes I ask


her what it was like watching her daughter compete in the Miss America pageant and whether or not she met Don- ald Trump. She grimaces at the question, quickly correct- ing my faux pas by explain- ing, “Trump is connected to


the Miss USA/Miss Universe organization. Never confuse the two. Donald Trump is the enemy. They are two very different organizations. Miss San Diego is a Miss America pageant. We are the largest scholarship program for


women in the world!” Back in the auditorium,


one of the pageant moms attempts to elaborate on the differences between the two organizations: “Miss USA does not have a talent portion. A simple way to explain it is


PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANDY BOYD


San Diego Reader January 7, 2016 17


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