NEW YORK ¨C The first openly gay Miss America contestant will compete this weekend, a first in the competition¡¯s 95-year-history, organizers said.
Erin O¡¯Flaherty, 23, was crowned the first openly gay Miss Missouri in June.
¡°I certainly hope my presence will help people open up a little bit more. I¡¯m very open about it,¡± she said at the time. ¡°It¡¯s never going to be something I try to hide because I¡¯m very proud to be a member of the LGBT community,¡± she told the St. Louis Riverfront Times.
Contestants select as platforms causes that they aim to raise awareness of or promote. O¡¯Flaherty, who owns a clothing store, said she represents a platform of suicide prevention.
She will sing in the contest¡¯s talent competition.
¡°Through every major milestone of our nation¡¯s evolution, Miss America has provided a voice for women from all walks of life, and this year, we welcome our first openly gay contestant,¡± said Josh Randle, chief operating officer of the Miss America Organization, in a statement. ¡°Miss America contestants continue to be the best and brightest in the country, and we proudly support each and every young woman who competes in our national program.¡±
The annual event, first held in 1921, will be held on Sept. 11 in the beachfront town of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Its longtime theme song, ¡°There She Is,¡± has become known around the world.
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