If queer America found their villain in 2009 when Carrie Prejean rejected same-sex marriage, than in 2010 we have found our heroine—Claire Buffie. 24-year-old Buffie is the current reigning Miss New York 2010, and the first Miss America Contestant in the organization’s 90-year-history to run on a pro-LGBT-rights platform.
Buffie was born in Indianapolis and relocated to New York City in 2008, after graduating from Ball State University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Visual Communications. She is an executive board member of the New York City chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and an active volunteer in its Safe Schools Program, which helps schools reduce bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
"My platform is ‘Straight for Equality: Let’s Talk.’" Explained Buffie in a recent interview with The Advocate, "I feel that it’s really important to promote equality for all people, "all" being the main word. As a straight ally, I think it’s so necessary to have that straight allies’ support for the LGBT community. My platform is politically driven in that I think we need political reform for gay rights, but I’ve really taken it down to organizations like PFLAG where I have the opportunity for personal mentorship."
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