What in the world is going on with the Miss USA pageant? Just two days after Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt announced her resignation, citing her decision to prioritize her mental health, Miss Teen USA 2023 UmaSofia Srivastava shared that she is also relinquishing her crown.
It’s a seismic shock for anyone familiar with the title-holder universe because many women spend years with the organization, working their way up from local to state competitions in hopes of making it to the national and international stage. Srivastava, who won the Miss New Jersey Teen USA title before her national crown, posted a message on Instagram that noted how her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.” She also summed up her post with a particularly mysterious Nietzsche quote: “There are no beautiful surfaces without a terrible depth.”
Voigt’s message had a greater sense of urgency to it that was picked up by social media users. The first letters in the first 11 sentences spell out a reportedly hidden statement: “I am silenced.” Voigt captioned her lengthy post, “I realize this may come as a large shock to many. Never compromise your physical and mental well-being. Our health is our wealth.” Both women’s reigns were ground-breaking because of their heritage. Voigt is a Venezuelan American and Srivastava is a Mexican Indian.
Laylah Rose, the chief executive and president of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, sent out an email on Wednesday that was obtained by The New York Times — and it vaguely addressed the shocking exits. “I know all of us who love the program want to rush out and do something,” Rose wrote. “My goal is to provide truly helpful steps we can take together. Our all-encompassing goal at Miss USA is to celebrate and empower women.” The resignations also come on the heels of the organization taking over the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA’s social media accounts to create “consistent content” for both platforms. “Our titleholders were informed in advance of this change once the decision was finalized,” the organization announced on Instagram three weeks ago.
Former social media director Claudia Michelle at the Miss USA Organization also put in her notice over the weekend and claimed she was able to freely speak without an NDA, unlike Voigt and Srivastava. She gave a little more insight into what was happening behind the scenes. “I’ve firsthand seen Noelia and Uma be unable to share about their personal advocacies on social media and be threatened by [Miss Universe Organization] ‘social media rules and guidelines’ that I still have yet to see,” she wrote. “I feel the way current management speaks about their titleholders is unprofessional and inappropriate; I disavow workplace toxicity and bullying of any kind.”
Michelle summed up her caption in one final sentence, “I don’t believe in taking sides, I believe in telling the truth.” It sounds like there will be much more to come in this jaw-dropping story.
Before you go, click here to see celebrities who fight hard to keep their partners and kids away from paparazzi.
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