Miss USA pageant under scrutiny with two winners Noelia Voigt UmaSofia Srivastava resigning citing mental health and disrespect

New York:

The firings of the reigning Miss USA and Miss Teen USA in the space of a few days have put the pageants’ parent organization under the microscope — especially as the young women cited mental health and differences in values ​​as their reasons.

The pair resigned just days after an employee of the Miss USA organization – which was created in 1952 and for a time owned by Donald Trump – quit, citing “workplace toxicity” and alleging that the two titleholders were mistreated.

Claudia Michelle, Miss USA’s social media director, resigned on May 3, saying in an Instagram post that she worked without pay for two months, was not adequately staffed and believed management disrespected the winners.

Michelle said she worked closely with Miss USA Noelia Voigt – a 24-year-old Venezuelan-American who was crowned in September – and saw “a decline in her mental health” – an issue Voigt mentioned when she resigned on Monday. .

As for Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava, 17, Michelle said she “saw firsthand the disrespect towards Uma and her family.”

“I reject workplace toxicity and bullying of any kind,” Michelle wrote, criticizing the “unprofessional and inappropriate” way she felt management had spoken to Voigt and Srivastava.

In his own Instagram post, Voigt – who represented the western state of Utah – said he was resigning, noting: “Never compromise your physical and mental well-being.

She called her time as Miss USA “incredibly meaningful,” highlighting her charitable work and being the first Venezuelan-American to win the title.

But she also said she hopes to “inspire others to stand tall, prioritize their mental health, advocate for themselves and others by using their voice, and never be afraid of what the future holds.”

Internet sleuths have even pointed out what they believe to be a coded message: the first letters of each sentence in Voigt’s statement read “I AM SILENCED.”

Srivastava — a self-described “first generation, Mexican-Indian-American” from New Jersey — said Wednesday that she was relinquishing her crown because her “personal values ​​are no longer fully aligned with the direction of the organization.”

In response, the Miss USA organization said, “We respect and support Noelia’s decision to step down from her duties. The well-being of our titleholders is a top priority.”

Miss Teen USA issued a similarly worded statement about Srivastava.

Miss USA controversy

The Miss USA pageant has seen a series of controversies and scandals in recent years, with multiple allegations of preferential treatment given to certain contestants, according to media reports.

The organization later concluded that these allegations were unfounded, but the Miss USA president, former titleholder Crystle Stewart, resigned.

Her husband, Max Sebrechts, who served as vice president of the organization, left amid a series of sexual harassment allegations made by former competitors.

Voigt’s resignation was the first time that a Miss USA title holder had resigned from the position since the competition began for any reason other than being crowned Miss Universe, a linked pageant.

Cheslie Kryst, crowned Miss USA in 2019, died by suicide in early 2022.

In her memoir, published posthumously last month and excerpted in People magazine, she wrote about “long-standing insecurities” that resurfaced when she won the title and suffered online abuse.

(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)