Miss Iowa breaks stereotypes in beauty pageants

Twenty-three year old American Nicole Kelly was crowned Miss Iowa and with her election, every taboo in the world of beauty pageants has been broken, being the first queen with an incomplete limb.

Kelly, who studied theater and film at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was born without her left forearm. She said her biggest wish is to promote a message of support to those who are not perfect and encourage them to dare to pursue their dreams. Nicole’s dream is to become a Broadway director.

“I realized that I could tell people I’m good to be admired,” said the young queen who is preparing to participate in Miss America, main beauty pageant in the U.S.

“I now know that being Miss Iowa is the perfect fit for me, and I feel so blessed to be surrounded by people who have encouraged me every step of the way,” she said.