Kids With Special Needs Compete in 'Miss You Can Do It' Pageant

By Tracie Egan Morrissey | June 25, 2013 | 5:20pm

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The documentary Miss You Can Do It, which premiered on HBO last night, is a heartwarming look at the beauty pageant of the same name that celebrates little girls with special needs and challenges, founded by Abbey Curran, who has cerebral palsy and was the first woman with a disability to compete in the Miss USA Pageant.

While the film is, for the most part, very sweet and feel-good, there are some dark moments that are shared by the six different families it profiles. One family has two daughters with Down Syndrome. After their little girl Meg was born, they decided to adopt a child from the Ukraine with Down Syndrome, Alina, so that Meg could have a sister she could connect with. Basically, they’re like the nicest, most giving people ever. But that didn’t stop some evil people in their neighborhood from vandalizing their property, spray-painting “retoddsz” on their home and car. While the anecdote isn’t pleasant, it really helped illustrate why the pageant is important, and that these kids need more opportunities to be applauded by an audience.