Miss California to Protect Traditional Marriage; Pageant Paid for Her Breast Implants

April 30, 2009 — -- Though she missed out on the Miss USA crown, Miss California Carrie Prejean is embracing a new title: protector of "traditional marriages."

She told NBC's "Today" show Thursday that she's going to Washington to work with the National Organization for Marriage, saying the union between a man and a woman is "something that is very dear to my heart."

While Carrie Prejean's preaching her values, others are dropping bombshells about her body. Shanna Moakler, co-executive director of the Miss California Organization, confirmed to "Access Hollywood" Wednesday that the group paid for Prejean's breast implants weeks before she competed in the 2009 Miss USA pageant.

"It was something that we all spoke about together," Moakler said referring to herself, Carrie Prejean and Keith Lewis, who also serves as co-executive director for the organization. "It was an option and she wanted it. And we supported that decision."

The beauty queen's family is also voicing their support for her. More than a week after Carrie Prejean spoke out against "opposite marriage" at the Miss USA pageant, her "gay activist" sister came to her defense and lashed out at Perez Hilton, judge who questioned Prejean about gay marriage during the competition and subsequently bashed her on his blog.

"Considering what she was going through, the circumstances of being put on the spot, given such a short amount of time to think and respond … she said what she felt in her heart would be the best answer," Christina Prejean told ABCNews.com. "She and I have talked about this subject; we both respect each other's views. I support civil unions that would give same sex couples equal, legal rights and privileges."

At the pageant, Prejean seemed initially tongue-tied answering to Hilton's question before saying that marriage should be between a man and a woman, drawing a mixed reaction from the audience and a look of thinly veiled disgust from Hilton.

In the days afterward, Prejean attempted to quell criticism of her conservative marriage views by saying that her sister is a gay activist.

"My sister is a second lieutenant in the Air Force and she is a gay rights activist," Prejean told "Access Hollywood" last week, adding that Christina is not gay. "She supports gay people, she supports gay marriage. My beliefs have nothing to do with my sister or my mom, or whatever."

Christina Prejean, 22, admitted she was surprised to hear the beauty queen, 21, call her a gay activist.

"I have never even given myself that title. I was kind of surprised that she mentioned it, but I think she wanted to get the point across that our family is tolerant," Christina Prejean said, adding that she only recently got involved in gay rights activism.

"A couple weeks back, I attended a public forum in Idaho about protecting the LGBT community against discrimination," she continued. "That was the very first thing I attended, and I told her about it on the night of the pageant, after she said she felt bad that people might be offended by her response. … But that's obviously such a hot topic that either way, someone was going to be offended."