Nick Verreos Weighs In on Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean

Much has been discussed about Miss California USA's answer last night at the Miss USA Pageant and being a fan of pageants and having met Miss California USA 2009, Carrie Prejean, I felt that I needed to state my opinion on the issue.

I met Carrie twice, while she competed for the Miss California USA contest two years ago, as Miss San Diego County. The actual winner was incorrectly crowned and we all thought Carrie should have won--she eventually did (this year). And I also worked with Carrie when I appeared, along with Debbie Matenopoulos, in last year's E! Entertainment Academy Awards Pre-Show.

Pageant Girl: Nick Verreos poses with Miss California USA 2007, Meagan Tandy in a NIKOLAKI gown (she placed Third at Miss USA 2007)

First let me start by saying that I am so proud to live in a country where we have the right to free speech. And I applaud the Miss Universe Organization for bringing such hard hitting, politically relevant questions to this years pageant. We live in a world where being beautiful is not mutually exclusive from being intelligent.

I understand someone who has strong beliefs and has the ability to express those beliefs as a Miss USA should be prepared to do. But I do not feel she answered the question with any eloquence (Hello!! Opposite Marriage?) and obviously disagree with what she stated.

I hope that people's anger and outrage is not directed at Carrie speaking her beliefs but at the fact the she feels that Gay men and women do not deserve equal rights. Although I do not agree with Perez Hilton's extreme reaction to Carrie's answer I am thankful that outspoken advocates for same-sex marriage and more importantly equal rights, like Hilton, continue to bring this issue to the forefront of political discussions.

We still have an INCREDIBLY far road to travel and hopefully people will see that even in the pageant world, run mainly by gay men, we have to continue to educate and teach the importance of EQUALITY.

To donate and learn more about the ongoing battle for equality in California please click HERE.

And click HERE for a witty commentary by somebody who has "been there and done that", my friend and former Miss USA and Universe Brook Lee. She pulls no punches!! Love her.