A transgender woman and a former NFL coach’s girlfriend are set to compete in the same beauty pageant, turning this year’s Miss Maine USA into a national flashpoint.
At a Glance
- Isabelle St.Cyr becomes first trans contestant in Miss Maine USA
- Jordon Hudson returns after 2024 runner-up finish
- Miss Universe allows trans women with legal female status since 2012
- Hudson advocates for Maine’s fishing heritage
- St. Cyr stresses passion over politics in joining pageant
Historic Entry Meets Familiar Face
Isabelle St. Cyr is poised to make history as the first openly transgender contestant in the Miss Maine USA pageant. Representing Monson, Maine, St. Cyr’s participation has already drawn national attention, as reported by WMTW, which confirmed her entry as a milestone for the state.
Jordon Hudson, girlfriend of former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, is also returning to the competition after placing first runner-up in 2024. Hudson, 24, shared her excitement on Instagram during International Pageant Day, announcing she would represent her hometown of Hancock in the upcoming event.
Watch CBS News’ report on the rising tensions at Trans contestant makes Miss Maine history.
More Than Just a Title
St. Cyr has described her love for pageantry as the reason for entering the competition, not politics. “Starting pageants at 24 feels a bit like starting cheerleading when I was 14,” she told WMTW, reflecting on her early struggles and later success in the sport, where she earned both state and national titles despite criticism.
Hudson brings her own advocacy to the pageant, focusing on Maine’s embattled fishing industry. In an interview with People, she spoke of her family’s generational ties to fishing and her hopes to use her platform to protect local fishing communities from economic decline and regulatory threats.
Pageant Stage Meets Political Crossfire
While St. Cyr’s participation is permitted under the Miss Universe Organization’s rules—which have allowed transgender women to compete since 2012, as detailed in Reuters—the timing lands squarely in a broader debate over transgender rights in Maine.
As reported by Reuters, the Trump administration has sued the state for allowing transgender athletes to participate in female sports and has begun cutting federal K-12 education funding in retaliation. These moves have amplified attention on any public venues—like pageants—where transgender inclusion is at play.
Reframing Representation
Despite the heightened scrutiny, St. Cyr continues to emphasize the joy and personal fulfillment she finds in the pageant world. “I’m just doing it because I love pageants and I just happen to be trans,” she told Breitbart. “I want to show everyone that trans women absolutely can do this pageant and can do well.”
She credited the Miss Universe Organization’s inclusive changes, saying, “They’ve opened up and changed the organization for the better,” particularly in contrast to other pageants that still impose restrictive rules based on gender identity.
The 2025 Miss Maine USA competition is shaping up to be not just a battle of beauty, but a cultural bellwether for how American audiences and institutions continue to wrestle with gender, identity, and fairness in the spotlight.
Watch Inside Edition’s story on the unfolding pageant drama at Beauty, controversy, and history at Miss Maine USA.
