Military Wife Becomes First Asian American Transgender Woman to Win Miss Maryland

Bailey Anne Kennedy, the newly crowned Miss Maryland, has wasted no time in making history.Photo bybaileyannekennedy

Bailey Anne Kennedy made history as the first transgender woman to be crowned Miss Maryland USA. The event was held on June 1 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Kennedy, a 31-year-old Cambodian-American military wife, is not only the first transgender woman to win the title, but also the first Asian American and the first military spouse to achieve this honor.

According to her website bio, Kennedy is married to an active duty U.S. Marine Corps member. She shares that after their marriage, she believed she would have to set her aspirations aside permanently.

On Saturday, June 1, Kennedy, 31, made history by being crowned Miss Maryland at the end of the pageant in Bethesda, Maryland. According to local outlet DC News Now, she is also the first Asian American and military wife to win the title.

Photo bybaileyannekennedy

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, June 4, the newly crowned pageant queen shared how her identity has influenced her career. She wrote candidly about dealing with detractors and the challenges she has faced.

Not everyone has to agree with the spaces that you occupy, and it doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of these opportunities. The work that I will do for the remainder of my life is to make sure that children who feel like me will never have to worry about the consequences of being who they are by simply being myself and being a positive contribution to society.

For the longest time, I never had the need to tell anyone. Not because it’s a secret but it’s none of anyone’s business. To those who matter to me, they don’t care. Those that care about knowing such private & personal details, don’t matter.

In addition to celebrating her win, Kennedy is preparing for the Miss USA competition, set to take place in Los Angeles in August.

"I hope to showcase what Maryland has been teaching me all my life, and that is the diversity that we celebrate on a day-to-day basis," Kennedy said. "In terms of food, in terms of the people that we cherish, our neighbors."