Bailey Anne Kennedy has become the first transgender woman to hold the title of Miss Maryland USA.
On Saturday, June 1, Kennedy, 31, made history when she was crowned at the end of the pageant in Bethesda, Maryland. She is also the first Asian American and military wife to win the title, per local outlet DC News Now.
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, June 4, the newly crowned pageant queen opened up about how her identity has played a role in her career, writing candidly about how she deals with detractors.
“Not everyone has to agree with the spaces that you occupy, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of these opportunities,” she began the post, alongside a photo of herself tearing up as she won the competition.
“The work that I will do for the remainder of my life is to make sure that children who feel like me will never have to worry about the consequences of…
