The winners of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA -- Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava respectively -- have made startling allegations against the Miss USA organization. Or rather, their mothers have. As reported by CNN, both Voigt and Srivastava are bound by non-disclosure agreements. Effectively, this prevents the pair from coming forward with their experiences.
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"We could not continue this charade," said Barbara Srivastava in a sitdown interview with Good Morning America. "A crown, a national title -- why would two girls decide to [give] that up?"
Reportedly, Voigt and Srivastava relinquished their newly won titles, marking the first time a titleholder in Miss USA or Miss Teen USA resigned. In an Instagram post on Wednesday, May 8, UmaSofia Srivastava posted her formal resignation letter. "After months of grappling with this decision, I have made the choice to resign from the title of Miss Teen USA 2023," Srivastava wrote.
On Noelia Voigt's resignation letter, speculation began to form that a hidden message was carefully placed within the letter.
Miss USA stepped down and her official statement is wild because someone figured out the first letter of each sentence spell out "I AM SILENCED" pic.twitter.com/uFph1Zwwh4
— Knudsen Bio (@orimental) May 7, 2024
Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava's Mothers Speak Out On Daughters' Behalf
Pointedly, Jackeline Voigt didn't answer whether the "uncovered hidden message" from Noelia was intentional or not. "I don't feel comfortable answering that question," she said. However, when asked if she truly felt as though her daughter had been silenced, Jackeline said she believed that to be the case.
"She is, and she would be the rest of her life if this NDA is not [lifted]."
Noelia's letter alleges the existence of a "toxic work environment within the Miss USA organization that, at best, is poor management and, at worst, is bullying and harassment." Due to the nature of her NDA, however, further information is sparse.
Presently, the mothers of both women urge prospective pageant contestants to avoid dealing with the Miss USA organization. "Look at what happened to Noelia and UmaSofia. Right now, it's not the right time to participate," Jackeline said. "We just don't want these families and these girls to go through what we're going through."
Currently, the runner-up for Miss USA, Savannah Gankiewicz, is poised to receive the title in a ceremony on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Additionally, Miss Teen USA runner-up, Stephanie Skinner, declined to be crowned. So far, an announcement has yet to be made on a Miss Teen USA winner.
