Two Miss Americas return their crowns, revealing they were secretly "banned from speaking"?

In an Instagram post on May 9, Miss Teen USD UmaSofia Srivastava said, “her personal values are no longer fully aligned with the direction of the pageant.”

“After months of struggling with this decision, I have chosen to step down as Miss Teen USA 2023,” Srivastava wrote in a statement on her personal account. The New Jersey high school student won the pageant last September and expressed pride in being the first Mexican-Indian American to hold the title.

Two Miss Americas return crowns, implicitly declare they are "banned from speaking"

“I look forward to the rest of this year as I complete my junior year as a member of the National Honor Society and begin the college application process. I know that my academic career will be determined by my hard work alone,” she added. She said she will continue her advocacy for education and acceptance, along with her work at the Lotus Petal Foundation and Bridge of Books.

Hai Hoa hậu Mỹ trả lại vương miện, hé lộ ngầm bị — Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava. Photo: Chance Yeh/Getty.

The pageant's organizers responded in an Instagram post, writing that they respect Srivastava's decision, consider the health of the titleholders a "top priority" and that a successor will be named soon.

Her resignation follows another beauty queen who also gave up her title earlier this week.

On Friday, Noelia Voigt stepped down from her Miss America title, citing her mental health as being at risk. When she takes the crown in November 2023, Voigt, a Venezuelan-American from Utah, said she will work to connect with diverse communities across the United States.

“Deep down, I know this is just the beginning of a new chapter for me, and my hope is to continue to inspire others to stay strong, prioritize their mental health, advocate for themselves and others with their voices, and never be afraid of what the future holds, even if it seems uncertain,” she posted on Instagram.

“Never compromise your physical and mental health. Our health is our wealth,” she concluded the post.

The post quickly drew attention from fans that Voigt was sending a hidden message about the non-disclosure agreement (NDA), with the first letters of the first 11 sentences of her statement clearly saying "I am silenced."

A spokesperson for the Miss America Organization said they supported Voigt's decision to step down. "The health of our titleholders is our top priority and we understand her need to prioritize herself at this time," the spokesperson said.

The organization added that it is considering plans to transition responsibilities to a successor and that it will soon announce a new Miss America.

The two crown returns, along with the resignation of the organization's social media director Claudia Michelle last week, have raised questions among fans about the culture of beauty pageants and whether some aspects need an overhaul.

Michelle has been more outspoken about the alleged problems at the organization. In an Instagram post, she wrote that she condemns "a toxic work environment and bullying of any kind."

Several Miss America contestants from Voigt's year shared a post claiming that "the vast majority" of them supported her decision to leave and asked the Miss America Organization to release Voigt from her NDA "so she can speak freely about her experience."

UmaSofia Srivastava (born 2007) represents New Jersey and was crowned Miss Teen USA in September 2023. Srivastava is the author of The White Jaguar (2023).

Noelia Voigt (born 1999) represents Utah and was crowned Miss USA on September 29, 2023. Her mother is Venezuelan and her father is an American baseball player. She was an interior design student when she joined the show. Voigt has published a children's book called Maddie the Brave (2021), which is about preventing bullying in children.

Source: https://danviet.vn/hai-hoa-hau-my-tra-lai-vuong-mien-tuyen-bo-ngam-bi-cam-phat-ngon-20240509164056298.htm