Erin O’Flaherty made history last Saturday in Mexico, Missouri, when she was named the first openly gay Miss Missouri. She will also be the first to compete in the Miss America pageant, September 11 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“It certainly is making history,” she told Good Morning America on Friday. “I’m not sure I set out to do that. I am the first. I’m very excited for that. But mainly I’m excited to represent the LGBT community. We’re underrepresented in public positions of influence. I’m excited to take that on, and I hope that my presence will help with visibility for the community.”
Get a fresh take on the day’s top news
Subscribe to the St. Louis Daily newsletter for a smart, succinct guide to local news from award-winning journalists Sarah Fenske and Ryan Krull.
O’Flaherty also plans to champion suicide prevention. “I promote the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and work very closely with the Trevor Project, the nation’s leading crisis intervention and suicide prevention hotline for LGBT youth,” she said, adding that LGBT youth, particularly adolescents from unaccepting environments, are up to eight times as likely to commit suicide as their straight peers.
“I’m just going to share my story as much as I can,” said O’Flaherty, an owner of Rachel’s Grove dress boutique in Chesterfield. “My message to all young people out there who have a dream but may be a little scared is that no matter what obstacles are in your way, it does get better.”
When asked whether she dreams of being Miss America, O’Flaherty said, “Absolutely!”
