First Out Lesbian Miss America Contestant

The LGBTQ community can finally say that one of their very own is a contestant on the nation’s most popular pageant, Miss America. Erin O’Flaherty will be competing as Miss Missouri during the pageant on Sept. 10-11. She will be the first openly gay contestant in the pageant’s history.

“Behind the scenes, we’ve been well-represented, but I’m the first openly gay title holder, so I’m very excited,” she told The Associated Press. The contestant says that she knew going in as a contestant would make history, and that now she can be more visible and meet more people.

However, O’Flaherty is not the first lesbian contestant to compete.. Djuan Trent, who was Miss Kentucky in 2011, came out as a lesbian in 2014.

Hopefully, O’Flaherty will help the LGBTQ community receive a little more attention and advocate for more rights for gay individuals everywhere.

Phyllis Schlafly Dies at Age 92

Phyllis Schlafly, opposer of equal rights, feminism, and founder the Eagle Forum political group, has died at age 92. Schlafly is best known for opposing the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and being one of the most far right and powerful politicians in history.

She had attended every presidential convention since her first in 1952 and attended this year’s convention as a Donald Trump delegate. Her pride and joy, the Eagle Forum, boasts 80,000 members nation wide and pushes for low taxes, a strong military, and English-only education. The group is against “same-sex marriage, ‘radical’ feminism, and any efforts that go against the U.S.’s sovereignty,” according to their website.

“What I am defending is the real rights of women,” Schlafly said after she helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment. “A woman should have the right to be in the home as a wife and mother.”

Schlafly died of cancer in her home on Sept. 5. She remained active well into her later years and even spent time with Trump during his campaign.

Lesbian Soccer Star Kneels During National Anthem

Women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe knelt during the National Anthem on Sept. 3 in support of NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

“It was very intentional,” Rapinoe told American Soccer Now. “It was a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he’s standing for right now. I think it’s actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a lot of the media has covered it and made it about something that it absolutely isn’t.

“We need to have a more thoughtful, two-sided conversation about racial issues in this country. Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful.”

Lesbian Paralympian Seeks Death After Gold

The international Paralympics began on Sept. 7, and with it, the beginning of the end for paralympian Marieke Vervoort of Belgium. Vervoort plans to end her life via euthanasia after the games are over.

Vervoort suffers from an incurable, degenerative spinal disease so painful that she has already planned her funeral, according to  PinkNews.

“Rio is my last wish,” Vervoort told RTL radio. “I will stop my career after Rio. After, we shall see what life brings for me.”

The paralympian plans on winning Gold.