(ZENIT News / Annapolis, 08.07.2024).- The Miss Maryland USA 2024 beauty contest was involved in a great controversy after crowning Bailey Anne Kennedy, a transgender man, as its winner last June 1, coinciding with the start of Gay Pride Month. The decision sparked a series of controversial reactions among the participants, who questioned the fairness of the contest and the organizers’ transparency.
Miss Maryland USA is promoted as a contest that celebrates the beauty and confidence of young women, offering a fair and supportive environment for the development of skills, which will help them in their personal and professional life. However, several of the contestants said they felt defrauded when discovering that they were competing against a transgender man, which, they said, didn’t give them the fair environment promised.
One of the contestants, who preferred to remain anonymous and will be identified as Miss A, expressed her surprise and discontent. “I felt shocked when I realized that I was competing against a man. I felt the result might have been pre-determined.”
A Controversial Winner
Bailey Anne Kennedy, who identifies himself as a transgender woman, will be Maryland’s representative in the Miss USA contest in Los Angeles in August 2024. Kennedy, 31, would be the oldest winner in the history of Miss USA, if he wins the crown. He is married to Casey Guthrie, a Marine Corps officer, and describes himself as a “military wife.”
After winning the [local] competition, Kennedy took part in the Capital Pride Parade in Washington, D.C.. “It’s an honour to be in this position and to be able to impact my community, especially the LGBTQIA community, the military spouses and immigrant women,” said Kennedy to ABC News.
Changes in the Contest’s Rules
This year, Miss Maryland USA did away with several requirements, allowing the participation of women older than 28 as well as married women. Kenney, aware that his victory breaks with previous precedents, said: “I knew that to win this was greater than I, which would mean something more for my community, the LGBTQIA community and military spouses.”
However, some participants and observers have criticized the lack of transparency in the process. The contest’s organization didn’t respond to multiple requests for comments, and Kennedy blocked The Daily Signal when the latter contacted him by a direct message on Instagram.
The Contestants Reactions
Several of the contestants, when finding out that they were competing against a man, expressed their indignation and disillusion. Elizabeth McCarthy, one of the contestants, said: “I felt sick to my stomach and disappointed that the organizers allowed women to undress in front of a man without prior notice.”
Another contestant, identified as Miss B, felt she had been betrayed. “I would have liked to know beforehand that I was going to share the space with a biological man. It seemed that the organization intended to hide this fact until it was convenient for them to reveal it.
Calls for Transparency and Fairness
The participants are exacting a public apology from Miss Maryland USA and suggest that the money be returned that was invested in the competition. “It’s a costly process, and they had already chosen a winner,” said one of the contestants. Moreover, some suggest the creation of a separate contest for transgender individuals.
The controversy has also highlighted the need for transparency and consent in contests led by women, especially those that involve minors. A former contestant at the State level expressed her concern over the presence of biological men in women’s spaces without due notification.
