Lesbian Miss America Candidate Fails To Advance

Via the Hollywood Reporter:

Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty was not among the top 15 picked to advance in the pageant during its nationally televised finale Sunday night. The first openly gay contestant in the Miss America pageant was eliminated Sunday night when the top 15 finalists were chosen.

Miss Missouri Erin O’Flaherty was not among the top 15 picked to advance in the pageant during its nationally televised finale. She was the first openly gay contestant to win a state title. Djuan Trent competed in the Miss America pageant as Miss Kentucky in 2011, when she finished in the top 10. She came out as a lesbian in 2014.

The top 15 finalists were: Kentucky; Washington; Massachusetts; Arkansas; South Carolina; Idaho; Iowa; Texas; California; Oklahoma; Maryland; New York; Tennessee; Louisiana, and Mississippi.