US News
A Marine’s wife has been crowned the first ever transgender Miss Maryland USA and said she was inspired by the “sisterly bond” she saw among her fellow contestants in the pageant.
According to the official Miss Maryland USA Instagram account, 31-year-old Bailee Ann Kennedy won the coveted title on Saturday.
She is currently preparing to compete in Miss USA on August 4th in Los Angeles.
Kennedy told WDCW that the win was “a whirlwind because I knew it was bigger than me.”
“I knew it would mean a lot to all the LGBTQ kids out there who might feel like they don’t fit into the box, like I did,” she explained.
Kennedy said she had no fears about being the only transgender contestant, and was heartened by the “sisterhood” of the women onstage.
“I’m 31 and I feel more confident in myself. The age limit is 28, but as you know, the Miss Universe Organization has now removed that limit so women of all ages can compete,” she noted.
“I hope this milestone helps open doors and hearts for people to know that there are many sides to the LGBT community, and that I can contribute positively to society by making a difference, like the USO program I’m working on,” Kennedy added.
According to Kennedy’s website, she began competing in beauty pageants after her marriage in 2019.
“When I turned 30, the Miss Universe Organization did away with the traditional marital status and age restrictions, and I knew this was a sign from the universe that they were ready to crown an older military spouse like me,” the article explained.
“It’s such a small effort, but it’s fun to imagine the magnitude of my actions at the state, national and even international level if I win the title representing the United States, a beautiful country that has given me so much,” she added.
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.
According to the outlet, the first transgender contestant to compete in Miss USA was Cataluna Henriquez, who competed as Miss USA Nevada in 2018.
“It still hasn’t sunk in. We just made history, I don’t know how it feels. It was part of my goal, part of my dream,” Enriquez told the Las Vegas Sun after the historic state win.
