Out lesbian Kayla Ferrel is among the 14 fan favorites to compete in the upcoming season of America's Next Top Model.

Supermodel-talk show host Tyra Banks will return to host the 17th cycle of the show, which premieres Wednesday, September 14 on The CW.

The women will compete for the America's Next Top Model title that previously eluded them, a fashion spread in Vogue Italia, and a $100,000 contract with Covergirl.

Ferrel, who competed during the show's 15th cycle, said high school friends attempted to force her out.

“I had my first serious girlfriend when I was a freshman in high school,” she told lesbian entertainment website AfterEllen.com last year. “I would go out and hang out with my girlfriend outside of school and I'd be gay, but then when I went back to school, you know, I was straight with all my friends because I'd known them since middle school or elementary school and I was afraid of how they'd react to me.”

“I felt really alone at school, so I ended up transferring schools. People started to want to fight me because they felt like I was lying about who I was, which I felt was none of their business. So for my senior year I went to a new school and was completely out.”

Guest judges this year include Nicki Minaj, Kathy Griffin and Ashlee Simpson.