Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava abdicated her coveted title just days after Miss USA Noelia Voight also stepped down.
The two reigning beauty queens both decided to resign from their titles, citing concerns over mental health and a misalignment of personal values with the organization.
Voight, who became Miss USA in September 2023, explained her decision in an Instagram post, touching on the importance of prioritizing mental health.
Similarly, Srivastava announced her resignation on Wednesday, expressing that her personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.
“If you take the letter of the starting of each sentence. It says I AM SILENCED,” someone commented under voight’s IG post.
These resignations come amidst controversy within the Miss USA organization, as the former social media director, Claudia Michelle, also announced her departure, citing concerns over poor working conditions and the declining mental health of Voight.
Michelle’s departure sheds light on the internal workings of the organization, prompting calls for transparency and accountability.
While the Miss USA organization expressed respect for Voight and Srivastava’s decisions and assured plans for a transition of responsibilities to successors, the resignations mark a significant moment in the pageant’s history, with no reigning Miss USA or Miss Teen USA titleholder for the first time in 72 years.
The pageants have faced previous controversies, including allegations of rigging and misconduct among top executives.
