The Miss Ameri Pageant Jt Got Its First Openly Gay Conttant | HuffPost Voic

what happened at miss gay america

Mr. Gay Ameri 2018, Judas Ellt, shows by dazzlg exampl — wh photographer and llaborator Erika Wagner, The Drag Photographer — what tak to snag the tle.

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WHY WAS ALYSSA EDWARDS DETHRONED FROM MISS GAY AMERI PAGEANT?

Alyssa Edwards won the Miss Gay Ameri pageant 2010 but was stripped of the tle shortly after. Read on to fd out why this happened. * what happened at miss gay america *

Alyssa Edwards won the Miss Gay Ameri pageant 2010 but was stripped of the tle shortly after.

Alyssa Edwards famoly won the Miss Gay Ameri pageant 2010 but was stripped off of the crown shortly after. Alyssa Edwards was throned after wng Miss Gay Ameri 2010 by the Miss Gay Ameri anisatn, which nducts natnal pageants for female impersonators.

It has been reported by var media outlets that the reason for this throng was that Alyssa Edwards nducted some bs algs that nflicted wh the Miss Gay Ameri anisatn's policy. Some media outlets reported that Edwards kept missg major club events and other public appearanc for Miss Gay Ameri. The speculatns suggted that Co did so by revealg to the Miss Gay Ameri anisatn where Alyssa actually was while she was missg om her appearanc for them.

MISS GAY AMERI: SPEECHLS AFTER W LTLE ROCK

After beg named Miss Gay Ameri 2023 Ltle Rock on Friday night, Jonathan Jackson, a.k.a. Tatiyanna Voche', of Washgton, D.C., said he was "speechls" achievg a dream he had worked toward 16 years of petg. * what happened at miss gay america *

The ex-Miss Gay Ameri also participated many other pageants. Edwards won the Miss Gay Texas Ameri 2005. She also won Miss Gay USofA  2006 and Miss Shg Star Contental 2009.

D.C. NTTANT CROWNED MISS GAY AMERI ARKANSAS AS STATE'S DRAG LEGISLATN ADVANC

The Miss Gay Ameri pageant of female impersonators Ltle Rock crowned a wner Friday night amid uncertaty about whether such events uld ever aga be held Arkansas. * what happened at miss gay america *

Tatiyanna Voche’, Miss Gay D. Ameri, reacts after beg crowned this year’s Miss Gay Ameri on Friday at the Robson Center Performance Hall Ltle Rock.

After beg named Miss Gay Ameri 2023 Ltle Rock on Friday night, Jonathan Jackson, a.

OBUARY | HOW DID COTI COLLS DIE? THE FIRST MISS GAY UNED STAT

On Monday, November 14, at the age of 62, CCoti Colls, a beloved and popular former Miss Gay Ameri and former Miss Gay Uned Stat, passed away unexpectedly. Everyone the LGBTQ world was shocked by the news of Coti Colls's ath, and many have been payg rpect to her on var onle muni. * what happened at miss gay america *

" Chloe Knox, named to the top 10 at the Miss Gay Ameri Pageant, performs her talent on Friday at the Robson Center Performance Hall Ltle Rock. The top 10 nttants are announced at the Miss Gay Ameri Pageant at the Robson Center Performance Hall Ltle Rock on Friday. The Miss Gay Ameri pageant of female impersonators Ltle Rock crowned a wner Friday night amid uncertaty about whether such events uld ever aga be held Arkansas.

Tatiyanna Voche', Miss Gay D. MISS GAY AMERICA...

FIRST OPENLY GAY MISS AMERI NTTANT SH LIGHT ON LGBT ISSU

The first openly lbian Miss Ameri nttant will not only vie for the crown at the 95th annual pageant New Jersey this weekend, she will also aim to spotlight the jtic faced by gay and transgenr people. * what happened at miss gay america *

TATIYANNA VOCHE'MISS GAY AMERICA 2023. Imag, photographs, certa text, and vios may not be pied whout ntact  if you have qutns on what may and may not be Gay Ameri Pageant® is a registered tramark of Mad Angel Entertament©"Where the boys are boys and Female Impersonatn is an Art! On Monday, November 14, at the age of 62, CCoti Colls, a beloved and popular former Miss Gay Ameri and former Miss Gay Uned Stat, passed away unexpectedly.

MISS GAY AMERI 2022

The most clicked on queer stori of 2021 clu a transgenr Miss USA nttant, gay emperors, a nonbary Olympian, lbian bars and more. * what happened at miss gay america *

Coti Colls, a former Miss Gay Ameri and Former Miss Gay Uned Stat, was a hoehold name all throughout the Uned Stat. Colls, a former bety queen, peted the Miss Gay Uned Stat and Miss Gay Ameri ntts.

Colls was honored to serve as a judge for the petn after she was crowned Miss Gay Ameri.

MISS GAY MICHIGAN AMERI PAGEANT PROMIS GRAND GLAM

The Miss Gay Michigan Ameri pageant is returng to the state after a 30-year absence.  Though the pageant system is 50 years old this year, there’s * what happened at miss gay america *

Acrdg to news acunts, Coti Colls, 62, who had prevly held the tl of Miss Gay Ameri and Miss Gay Uned Stat, died unexpectedly on Monday, November 14, 2022.

MEET THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MISS AMERI CONTTANT IN HISTORY

* what happened at miss gay america *

(Rters) - The first openly lbian Miss Ameri nttant will not only vie for the crown at the 95th annual pageant New Jersey this weekend, she will also aim to spotlight the jtic faced by gay and transgenr people. ”O’Flaherty said she plans to n for Miss Ameri on the platform of preventg suici, which disproportnately affects lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr youth.

THE MISS AMERI PAGEANT JT GOT ITS FIRST OPENLY GAY CONTTANT

When not petg, O’Flaherty, works to provi suici preventn servic to LGBT youth and owns a clothg said the e of suici preventn is personal not only bee she intifi as gay, but bee she lost a close iend to suici at age 13. Miss Gay Atlantic Coast Ameri. First Alternate to Miss Gay Diamond Ameri.

First Alternate to Miss Gay Eastern Stat Ameri.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* WHAT HAPPENED AT MISS GAY AMERICA

Wp</tle><path d="M11.055 8.728l-1.018-1.019-.782.782v6.292l1.782 1.564.018-.019v-7.6zm-4.11.236L5.674 7.71l-.836.855v6.237l1.545 1.327.564-.636V8.964zm2.656 9.074l-2.528-2.182-1.927 2.182-2.619-2.255v-3.564h-.509c-.454 0-.672.273-.745.636H1.09a2.89 2.89 0 0 1-.091-.69c0-.473.2-1.71 1.527-1.71V7.691c0-1.073-.709-1.127-.709-2.054 0-1.037.982-2 2.782-2.637l.164.145c-.6.291-1.09.655-1.09 1.437 0 1.2 1.163.89 1.163 2.782v.727l2.127-2.236 2.237 2.2 2.109-2.2 2.036 2v6.728l-3.745 3.455zm11.108-9.625l-1.073-.982-.964 1.018v6.6c.855.11 1.491.4 2.019.964l.018-.018V8.413zm-2.382.418l-.528.545v10.237l.528.492V8.83zm1.49 9.055c-.308-.382-.69-.709-1.145-.836v3.782l-.036.018-1-.927-2.11 1.945-.036-.018V16.96c-.636.145-1.327.545-1.854 1.2l-.146-.091c.127-1.4.818-2.436 2-2.837v-3.545h-.382c-.527 0-.89.363-.963.763h-.219c-.054-.145-.127-.381-.127-.836 0-.891.6-1.564 1.582-1.564h.11V8.085l-.655-.582-.51.51-.254-.237 2.018-2.073 1.71 1.564V9.05l.527-.564v-2.09h.345v1.727l2.273-2.419L23 7.576v7.91l-3.182 2.4z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg><span class="mr-xs ml-xs gray-darkt flex ems-center">Get the full experience.<span class="ml-xs subs-theme blue">Choose your plan</span></span><svg class="ntent-box" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="fill:#166dfc" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>ArrowRight</tle><path d="M7.664 1.25l6 6a1 1 0 010 1.414l-6 6L6.25 13.25 10.499 9H2V7h8.585L6.25 2.664 7.664 1.25z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></a><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I hope that by the end of the year, nobody will be foced on my sexualy,” said O’Flaherty, phong om the Atlantic Cy green room where she has been submtg, exceedgly polely, to terview after terview about her sexualy. “I hope they remember me for how I did the job, and not for one qualy about me.” She reports, by the way, that the green room is filled wh rows of ltle ts, so that the tired nttants n nap between rehearsals.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“But the support I’ve had, wh my fay and iends, has been so great,” ntu O’Flaherty, 23. “I n’t tell you how many posive msag I get on a daily basis om people, and not only the LGBT muny.” She me out as a lbian llege, which is also when she began participatg pageants: She saw a woman a sash at a gatherg, and thought the petns would be a fun way to build a social circle.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Her talent is sgg; she will be performg a song om the mil “Wonrland.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Her hidn talent is livtock judgg: While growg up South Carola, O’Flaherty was volved wh 4-H and the summers went to livtock judgg mp, where, she says, children learned to evaluate the build, ndn and appearance of var farm animals.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The e she plans to champn is teen suici preventn. If she ws, she will put the $50,000 prize toward an MBA.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">There’s somethg trigug about all of this, or maybe not trigug about all of this. Is O’Flaherty’s ntenrship is renega (for middle Ameri)? Or is retrogra (for lbians)?</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Or maybe this is jt the time to acknowledge that the primary pageant dience has been, for some time now, a aln of tart-tongued gay men and “tradnal valu” Bible belters — and here, at last, Er O’Flaherty, is the sign that we are not two Ameris after all. We are one Ameri, and the one thg we n all agree on is that Er “looked fantastic her swimsu and gown,” says pageant nsultant Chris Saltalamacch, when asked to asss O’Flaherty’s chanc. “In the prelimari, she jt looked fantastic.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><b>Vansa Williams bem</b>e the first Ain Amerin Miss Ameri 1984 (famoly -throned, <a href=" shape="rect">ls famoly apologized to last year</a>). Heather Whtone beme the first af Miss Ameri 1994. Angela Perez Baraqu beme the first Asian Amerin Miss Ameri 2001.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The pageant was a major pop-culture event for s, and then the pageant was sudnly a dty, embarassg relic — dowdier than Miss USA, dimmer than "Amerin Idol" — until regag, recent years, the tert and viewership of the live-tweetg crowd. All throughout, the anizatn has proudly <a href=" shape="rect">touted s famo firsts pre-pageant buzz</a>: first ndidate wh tism, wh alopecia, wh tattoos, even if those firsts are often a ut step behd the tim.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Miss Ameri tends to be more reflective of society than fluencg,” says Hilary Levey Friedman, who teach a urse at Brown Universy on the cultural history of pageants. “If [O’Flaherty] ws, ’s not a game changer for gay and lbian issu,” which, she not, have already won wispread validatn wh the legalizatn of same-sex marriage. Friedman also not that sometim historic firsts lead to backlash, when on-stage bety llis wh real-world ugly: After Na Davuluri won 2014, onle menters were fur that the crown had gone to an “Arab” and “foreigner.” Davuluri, who is Indian Amerin, was born Syrace.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">Miss Ameri Na Davuluri fights post-pageant racism wh a bety queen’s poise</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Miss Ameri still requir participants to be unmarried. It still requir nttants to have never been pregnant. Miss Ameri is still sperately wag to see which salad fork the rt of the untry picks up first, so don’t accintally do somethg shockg.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">And for however much the pageant is prented as an empowerg, femist experience — and s vote do see as an empowerg, femist experience — is rooted the lty gaze of 1920s Atlantic Cy bsmen who, lookg to extend the cy’s tourist season, cid to do so by crowng the prettit bathg bety on the beach. The first wner was Margaret Gorman, who was appld by the judg for reprentg “the type of womanhood Ameri needs. Able to shoulr the rponsibili of homemakg and motherhood.” She was 15.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><b>What is the type</b> of womanhood Ameri needs? Should Miss Ameri be mure or sexy? An emissary of the tim, or an in snow-globed away om all those msy current events? Should we even expect to sort all out on a stage where women wanr around totterg Luce high heels?</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p><span class="wpds-c-gnhuPA wpds-c-gnhuPA-hqeSyH-variant-terstial wpds-c-gnhuPA-iPJLV-css hi-for-prt"><a data-qa="terstial-lk" href=">D.C. and Maryland w Miss Ameri swimsu ntts</a></span></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In some ways, O'Flaherty's participatn the pageant is even more groundbreakg than the victori of Vansa Williams or Angela Perez Baraqu. Those women may have had sk of different lors, or featur outsi of the Anglo-Saxon norm, but they still upheld the pageant's re male fantasy: Unr the right datg circumstanc, <i>they might kiss you</i>.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In other ways, ’s ls so. O’Flaherty will never kiss you, men. But led up next to the other 51 nttants, she will be distguishable appearance om the rt of the long-limbed, long-haired creatur on stage. (It’s wonrful for the pageant to reveal that a betiful woman might also be a lbian; would be more so if one day revealed that a non-betiful woman might also be servg of a crown.)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“When I first me out, I heard a lot of, ‘Oh, but you’re feme, don’t make any sense,’ ” O’Flaherty says. She wants to dispel any remag myths that all lbians look or act a certa way, she says.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">All week long, the nttants have been petg prelimary petns such as eveng gown and talent and “Liftyle and Fns Swimsu” — a tegory tle that sounds like a still life created at a YMCA patg class — and personal terviews wh the judg. O’Flaherty didn’t w the swimsu or talent ntts — the two highly fluential prelimari that announce s victors before the big show — and will not learn until Sunday whether she advanc to the fal 15.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But cidg to beg petg pageants “is the bt cisn I’ve ever ma,” O’Flaherty says. “Really, I’m havg a blast. We’re all havg so much fun.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><i>An earlier versn of this story misspelled the name of the first Miss Ameri. She was Margaret Gorman.</i></p></div><div class="wpds-c-jkoBlc wpds-c-jkoBlc-leHWbT-removeAllStyl-te"><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css overriStyl mt-md tt"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg><div class="PJLV wpds-c-kwcHlj">Share</div></div></button></div><div class="wpds-c-hcekgi"><div class="mb-lg-mod" data-qa="ments-btn-div"><button aria-label="Scroll to the ments sectn" data-qa="ments-btn" class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-kSOqLF-SQjOY-variant-sendary wpds-c-kSOqLF-eHdizY-nsy-flt wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-igqYgPb-css ments hi-for-prt"><svg xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="currentColor" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp "><path d="M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z"></path></svg><span></span> Comments</button></div></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css"><div></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css"><div></div></div><sectn class="PJLV PJLV-icEohIP-css dn-ns hi-for-prt" data-ttid="mostRead" subscriptns-sectn="ntent"><div data-ttid="lazy-most-read-parent" class=""><div style="m-height:800px"></div></div></sectn><div class="PJLV PJLV-ickXkbz-css"><div data-qa="newsletter" class="hi-for-prt relative"><div class="dib w-100"><div><div class="flex jtify-center align self-center center transn-all duratn-400 ease--out" data-qa="sc-newsletter-signup" aria-label=""><svg aria-labelledby="react-aria-1-aria" role="img" viewBox="0 0 100 80"><tle id="react-aria-1-aria">Loadg....

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