NEW YORK: Finally We Get A Beauty Queen That We Can All Love

The just-crowned Miss New York is a winner in a more ways than one.

Miss New York 2010, Claire Buffie, is an outspoken advocate of human rights, opening the dialogue about equality amongst youth, teens and adults alike with her platform "Straight for Equality: Let's Talk." The issues of gay rights make up the civil rights movement of our generation and reach far beyond marriage equality. As Miss New York 2010, Claire aims to break the stigma of marginalized youth, eliminating discriminatory vocabulary and changing the climate in New York schools. She celebrates diversity and the things that make us all unique and strives to instill pride, dignity and respect in developing minds and compassionate hearts. This will be a year of change in New York State and Claire is ready to support this incredible movement.

All Over Albany adds that Buffie is an executive board member of the NYC chapter of P-FLAG. And she works at the Genius Bar at the Fifth Avenue Apple store, where the stream of gay boys is undoubtedly nonstop. She'll be competing for Miss America 2011 in January in Las Vegas. Go Claire!

(Tipped by JMG reader Matt)