Miss USA Pageant’s Toxic Culture is Nothing New
The organization has been problematic from its very beginning
The Miss USA Pageant organization is facing backlash after Miss USA, Noelia Voight, and Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava handed in their crowns last week.
Noelia stated in an eight-page resignation that her duties as Miss USA took a toll on her mental and physical health. “It is important that I make this abundantly clear: the toll that this treatment, experience, and abuse has taken on me will have long-lasting impacts on my health,” she wrote.
She also alleged that the Miss USA organization cultivated an unhealthy work environment, saying, “There is a toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that, at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment.”
UmaSofia didn’t elaborate as much, simply saying, “After careful consideration, I’ve decided to resign as I find that my personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization."
Although not as publicized, just days before the two queens turned over their titles, Miss USA’s social media director Claudia Michelle resigned. She made claims that she witnessed the mistreatment of Noelia and UmaSofia by the organization. She also stated that she had worked for…
