A Marine's wife has become the first-ever transgender Miss Maryland USA, inspired by the "sisterhood" of other pageant contestants. Bailey Anne Kennedy, 31, won the title on Saturday, as announced on the official Miss Maryland USA Instagram account. She is now set to compete in Miss USA, which will take place in Los Angeles on August 4.
Kennedy told WDCW during an interview that the victory was a "whirlwind because I knew it was bigger than me." "I knew that it was going to mean a lot for all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don't belong in a box — like me growing up," she explained.
He Not She Gets the Crown
Kennedy hopes her achievement will "open up some doors and hearts, allowing people to recognize the diversity within the LGBT community." She aims to make a positive impact on society, similar to her efforts with the USO program she is involved in.
According to her website, Kennedy was inspired to enter pageants after her marriage in 2019.
"When I turned 30, The Miss Universe Organization lifted the traditional marital status and age restrictions. I knew it was a sign from the Universe that they are ready to crown an older, military spouse like myself," the write-up explained.
"Although this is such a small effort, I could only imagine the magnitude of my action on a state level, national level or even on the international level if I win the title to represent USA, the beautiful country to which I owe so much," she added.
"As a military spouse and as a proud trans woman, I hope to display this in a positive light and as an immigrant myself - the immigrant tenacity, I hope to showcase that to people, and hopefully inspire somebody along the way," Kennedy added.
Winning Hearts
According to The Advocate, Kennedy is not only the first transgender Miss Maryland USA but also the first Asian American winner and the first military spouse to hold the title.
The Advocate noted that the first transgender contestant to compete in Miss USA was Kataluna Enriquez, who participated as Miss Nevada USA in 2018.
"It hasn't hit me yet. We just made history, and I don't know how that feels. It was part of my goal, part of my dream," Enriquez told the Las Vegas Sun in the wake of her history-making win in the state.
