For those of you that missed the Miss America 2017 pageant, here is what you need to know.
This was the first year that a constant openly admitted to being a lesbian. Erin O'Flaherty, Miss Missouri, based her platform on the issues among LGBT youth. During her interviews, she made it clear that she did not want to focus on her sexuality. "I think other people tend to focus on it, but it is one small part of who I am and the work that I do. It is just as important for people to realize I am not one dimensional," she told the New York Times, before to the competition started.
Top 15: Kentucky; Washington; Massachusetts; Arkansas; South Carolina; Idaho; Iowa; Texas; California; Oklahoma; Maryland; New York; Tennessee; Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Top 10: New York; Mississippi; Maryland; Iowa; Washington; Texas; California; Tennessee; South Carolina, and Arkansas.
4th Runner Up:Miss Mississippi, Laura Lee Lewis
3rd Runner Up: Miss Washington, Alicia Cooper
2nd Runner Up: Miss New York, Camille Smiles
1st Runner Up: Miss South Carolina, Rachel Wyatt
Miss America 2017: Miss Arkansas, Savvy Shields
Savvy Shields, 21, attends the University of Arkansas studying art. After her reign as Miss America, she will continue her education in hopes to work in a museum and teach at a collegiate level. Through the Miss America Organization, Sheilds won over $90,000 in scholarships and will graduate debt free.
For her on-stage question she, Gabbie Douglas asked Shields, " "Hillary Rodham Clinton, what do you think?"
After a moment of laughter, she responded, "If you're trying to be the leader of the free world, everything you say and do matters. All of your actions are held to a higher standard. Unfortunately, the media loves to sensationalize everything and it's hard to tell what is truth and what is truly a scandal. I think going back to what my previous contestants said, both of these contestants... candidates have done a good job of competing, but they need to watch what they're doing."
She answered that question in 20 seconds in the best way possible without causing a big up-roar, like a queen should do.
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