An interview in male attire is a key component of the pageant; contestants are judged not only for their poise and articulateness but for their overall masculine presentation—points may be deducted for feminine aspects such as overly plucked eyebrows or long fingernails.
In February 2005, the Miss Gay America pageantry system was purchased by Larry Tyger and Terry Eason of L & T Entertainment.
In 2024, the owners of Miss Gay America decided to expand the contest to cis and trans women to showcase their unique journeys and stories.
The mission is to strive to foster community involvement, advocate for acceptance, and serve as role models for all LGBTQ individuals everywhere.
As Miss Gay America grew in popularity and prestige, many professional female impersonators who lived full-time as women found they were unable to compete in the pageant due to its longstanding rule barring transgender contestants.
Because many trans women also use drag shows as a source of income, it was only natural that a pageantry system would evolve to meet their needs.
In 1980, Chicago nightclub promoter Jim Flint, owner of the Baton Show Lounge, filled this void with the creation of the Miss Continental U.S.A. Pageant.
Contestants were scored in interview, swim wear, talent, and evening gown; for the finalists, an on stage question.
This contest was created by George Stinson and Ed Lewis, owners of the successful Connection Complex in Louisville, Kentucky.
They drew their inspiration from Female Impersonator of the Year, a one-time pageant event held in Houston in 1985, hosted by Ruth Buzzi and Lyle Waggoner, and released as a cable-TV special and home video.
In 2015, EOY promoters and owners expanded the contest to include the Femme counterparts with the first National Pageant held at the Connection Complex theatre.
[29] Within a few years he took the pageant from a small twelve contestant affair to a national showcase with over eighty participants.
Unlike the "Big Four" of drag pageantry, AAG welcomes postoperative trans women as contestants.
Similar to Miss Florida FI, USQ is a "local national" pageant that attracts contestants from not only Hawaii but also the mainland U.S.