Isabelle St. Cyr, a 24-year-old native of Howland, Maine, will become the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Miss Maine beauty contest on May 10–11 in Portland, Maine.
Reports Boston.com:
“It’s something I’ve been interested in since I was a little kid,” she told Boston.com. “’I’ve always wanted to do pageants, but never got the opportunity because I was trans.”
St. Cyr, 24, said she was inspired to sign up to compete in the Miss Maine pageant after the first transgender woman competed in a Miss Universe organization pageant in 2012.
“That really inspired me to chase my dream,” said St. Cyr, who will be the first transgender woman to compete in the Miss Maine pageant. “I finally felt comfortable enough with myself and comfortable enough with who I am to compete.” …
To prepare for the pageant in early May, St. Cyr said she has been practicing mock interviews with friends, taking etiquette classes, and shopping for gowns and swimsuit interview attire. But first and foremost, she has been watching the Miss Universe pageant on repeat.
“I’ve just been watching them and studying them for so long, I feel like I kind of know what to expect,” said St. Cyr, who grew up watching her sister and childhood best friend compete in Little Miss pageants. “So I’m actually really confident going into the pageant that I could do really well, even though it’s my first time.”
“What truly piqued St. Cyr’s interest in pageantry is the “power that it gives women,” she said.
“I’m really excited to be the voice for trans people in our state,” St. Cyr said. “It means a lot that I can be the representation and the voice for people that are a little bit scared in these times.”
Read the complete Boston.com story here.
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