Overview

• Isabelle St. Cyr will compete as the first openly transgender contestant in Miss Maine USA history, highlighting the pageant's evolving eligibility rules since 2012.
• Jordon Hudson, last year’s runner-up and partner of football coach Bill Belichick, has confirmed her participation, representing Hancock, Maine.
• St. Cyr, a former cheerleading champion, emphasized her passion for pageants and stated her entry is not a political statement but a personal pursuit.
• The pageant comes as Maine faces federal lawsuits and public debates over transgender inclusion policies, including a recently resolved USDA funding freeze.
• The event, scheduled for May 10 in Portland, has gained national attention due to its participants and the broader cultural and legal discussions surrounding transgender rights.