Bailey Anne Kennedy is a trailblazer for the Miss Maryland pageant. She is the first transgender contestant to win the state title, as well as the first Asian American and the first woman over the age of 28. This is the first year all women aged 18 and over can compete at Miss USA.
Miss Maryland was also the very first pageant that Kennedy competed in.
“For the longest time, it wasn’t possible for someone like me to compete — let alone compete and win,” the 31-year-old told People. “It’s not just a big deal for me. It’s a big deal for many communities that I represent.”
People reported that Kennedy immigrated to the US from Cambodia as a child. She is now married to a member of the US Marine Corps and volunteers for the United Service Organizations. Her motto is “beauty without an expiration date.”
“My goal is to leave a positive impact behind so that I can make it easier for those with similar upbringings and clear up any misconceptions about ‘stay-at-home’ military wives, the LGBTQIA+ community, and immigrants of a particular age,” Kennedy told People.