Miss America Barriers Broken [PHOTOS]

When the new Miss America is crowned on Sunday night in Atlantic City, NJ, certain stereotypes will have been broken.  Miss Kansas, Theresa Vail,  has chosen to stand by her platform of breaking barriers and changing stereotypes by showing her tattoos.

In the preliminary rounds of the pageant, Vail chose to reveal her tattoos of the Serenity Prayer, on her right side, and the insignia of the U.S. Army Dental Corps on her left shoulder. Vail blogged she might be considered a hypocrite if she covered her ink considering her pageant platform.

A blond from Iowa is also changing the way people think about beauty queens.  With the platform of people overcoming their disabilities, Miss Iowa, Nicole Kelly, will be competing without her left arm.  Kelly was born without her left forearm, but that hasn't stopped her from chasing her dream of theater and fine arts, and reminding people to focus on what they have, not what they lack.