Miss Connecticut 2024 Shavana Clarke
Courtesy of Miss USA
Shavana Clarke, 29, is the primary brazenly lesbian Miss USA state titleholder, in addition to the primary brazenly queer lady to signify Connecticut. She hopes her pageant journey will assist break down boundaries.
“I spotted on this journey that my sexuality is simply as a lot part of who I’m as the rest,” she informed the Connecticut Submit. “So why should not I be open and speak about that?”
Clarke has a BFA in appearing from the College of Connecticut and runs her personal crochet-wear line, Bitter Sweet Studio. She crocheted her swimsuit for the Miss Connecticut competitors.
The mannequin and entrepreneur additionally makes use of her platform to interrupt the stigma round psychological well being. The Connecticut Submit reported that Clarke was recognized with borderline character dysfunction when she was in her 20s.
“I by no means imagined that I might be on this place at present as Miss Connecticut USA as a result of I had struggled with my psychological well being a lot,” Clarke informed the location. “And I assumed to myself, ‘I can’t presumably be that woman. She’s untouchable. She’s excellent.'”
“I feel it is essential to be so open about my psychological well being journey and about my analysis,” she added. “So folks can see {that a} titleholder is not excellent. A titleholder is genuine.”
