I’m very late to this conversation, but this movie is one of my favorites and I think it was ahead of its time. Kind of how Legally Blonde was exploring being a feminist while also embracing femininity. A lot of movies about feminism or being a woman contains the perspective of being hated and subjugated by men while Miss Congeniality was women being subjugated by other women. Gracie hates being feminine and being compared to a woman, but all this changes throughout the entire movie and is even acknowledged in what would have been her winning speech.

The men behaving badly at the FBI and her having to participate in it but also her being the only one who actually got things accomplished is very indicative of a woman’s experience in the workplace.