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"Now I get to be more visible to the community and meet more people," Erin O'Flaherty said.
Erin O'Flaherty will compete this year as the first openly lesbian contestant in the Miss America pageant.
After winning the title of Miss Missouri, she already made history as the first woman to win a state title after coming out as lesbian. She now moves on to compete in Atlantic City as the competition begins.
Djuan Trent, who is also lesbian, competed in Miss America in 2011 as Miss Kentucky and finished in the top 10. She didn't come out until 2014.
"Behind the scenes, we've been well-represented, but I'm the first openly gay title holder, so I'm very excited," O'Flaherty told The Associated Press. "I knew going in that I had the opportunity to make history. Now I get to be more visible to the community and meet more people."
Miss America will kick off Sept. 6th, in Atlantic City.
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