Transgender student Cassidy Lynn Campbell made history Friday (20 September) when she was crowned homecoming queen of Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California.

Campbell, 16, is believed to be the first transgender student in US history to win such a title at a public high school.

Campbell said running for homecoming queen was initially all about her but that changed as she began to see the bigger picture.

‘I realized it wasn’t for me anymore and I was doing this for so many people all around the county and the state and possibly the world and I am so proud to win this not just for me, but everyone out there,’ Campbell told KTLA.

Campbell wants to now become an LGBT activist and has this message for other transgender teens: ‘Just to be true to themselves and to let people know around them and to not keep it bottled up inside.’

Marina High School Principal Paul Morrow was not only proud of Campbell, but the entire student body.

‘Were proud of the message from home of the Vikings has been one of equity, acceptance, tolerance and respect,’ Morrow told KTLA.