Established in Nashville in 1972–37 years before "RuPaul's Drag Race"–The Miss Gay America Pageant is the world’s first, longest running and most prestigious female impersonator competition.
The pageant will honor the current Miss Gay Heart of America 2016 Kelly Ray Shelton, from Durham, NC, and feature Miss Gay America 2017 Suzy Wong of Nashville. The evening's theme will be "A Night in Oz."
The night will feature the talents of (above, top row, L-R) Miss Gay America 2017 Suzy Wong, Miss Gay America 2016 Asia T Ohara, Miss Gay America 2011 Coti Collins, Miss Gay America 2000 Catia Lee Love and (botton row, L-R) former Miss Gay Heart of America 2008 Jade Sinclair, Columbus’s own Nina West and Virginia West and Miss Heart of America 2016 Kelly Ray Shelton.
Meet your reigning Miss Gay Heart of America 2016, Kelly Ray Shelton (or Kelly Ray as she is known), as she answers five questions in anticipation of her step-down and the passing on of the crown to the new Miss Gay Heart of America on March 5: